


Fantasy AU

by A_halfbakedideainthemiddleofthenight



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: Adventure, Chack, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Fantasy, Harpy Raimundo, Lots of magical creatures, M/M, Magic, Mild Gore, Moon elf Jack Scpicer, Naga, Naga Chase Young, Personal Growth, Size Difference, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Violence, genasi Omi, half-tiefling Kimiko, minotaur Clay, moon elf
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:47:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 207,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23391985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_halfbakedideainthemiddleofthenight/pseuds/A_halfbakedideainthemiddleofthenight
Summary: Jack Spicer accidentally awakens Chase Young, the sleeping king of the Calidi-Issimo desert, and both go in adventures for revenge and glory and eventually love :)
Relationships: Jack Spicer/Chase Young
Comments: 38
Kudos: 95





	1. Stranded in the Desert

Chapter 1

**Stranded in the desert**

Jack woke up, drowsy on the wet desert floor. The hot air burnt to breathe, and the bright sunlight blinded him. He stares dumbfounded at the vast desert, surprised to be alive. Jack looks at the scorching sands, and then to the horizon, he can see the silhouette of his small town. He knows that it’s more than a week of travel by horse. And Jack doesn’t see his horse nowhere in sight, without food or shelter, Jack won’t last more than a day. 

Tears build-up and he really can’t afford to lose any liquids. 

“You are alive,” Jack declares to the desert.

Jack is a moon elf, weaker, less magic sensitive, and graceful than a moon elf should be, so he ran off to find something else to define him. But he wasn’t made for magic, he couldn’t compete in the stupid city, forests were gross, and somehow he ends up on the fucking Calidi-Issimo desert. The growing group of rejects reselling stolen goods and hiding from the law formed a city, a trash city, and Jack called it home. Did he like it? No. It was a temporary stop until he found something better. Of course, that was thirty-four years ago, thirty-five in two weeks, and now he is stuck in the heart of the desert. 

“I’m not gonna die here.” Jack looks down while trying to calculate how long before he becomes severely dehydrated. He almost finished collecting enough loot to leave and live the life he deserves. The sand under him is a different color, darker. It should be obvious, but after thirty-three years of working as a scavenger and guide at the Calidi-Issimo desert, Jack saw shade for the first time. Jack turns to see a stone palace.

The palace has been observed many times but covered with sand and degraded with time, people believe it to be mountains. Jack suspected differently, and now he understands it. The stones were sturdy; even after so many years, the structure radiates powerful and ethereal magic. 

Enough magic for Jack to steal a bit, and cast a fast travel spell strong enough to get him to traveling distance from his home. 

On the floor, Jack saw a golden coin, this one much well preserved than any he has seen before. One side had the profile of a beautiful man with long hair and, on the other side, a snake’s eye. There was writing on the side, an old language few knew how to read anymore. 

“King of Calido Divitiae, Chase Young.” Jack looks at the miles of unforgiving sands that sparkle with hidden treasures. “This is one hell of a mausoleum.” Jack chuckles as he walks inside through a crack on the wall.

Inside the building, sand accumulates on the corners of the large room. The walls, paintings, bases, statues, chandeliers, and decorations were oddly intact, yet they felt worn down. The palace was so deep into the desert that it stayed out of the reach of opportunistic thieves. “That’s some strong magic” Jack looks at the tall ceiling and the beautiful tile work, a breeze runs through the hall, and Jack feels a pull deeper inside the palace. Maybe it is strong enough to send him home. “Hello?” 

No one answered. 

Jack follows the magic hopeful of what he will find, he enters the room after room. He observes the tapestries, statues, and works of art in the palace unbothered for thousands of years. Jack climbs long stairs and stops in front of two massive doors adorned with intricate gold designs. 

It was behind the door, Jack could feel it’s call after so many years. Before opening the door, Jack promised himself that if he survives this, he will leave the desert for good. 

Jack pushes the door open with all his strength and finds a bedroom. Sand had covered the room but not enough to hide the richness of it. The room was spacious with beautiful marble floors, a bed large enough to accommodate five people comfortably, a crystal chandelier that amplifies the sunlight illuminating the whole room, and the tunics spilling from the closet were of such bright colors. Silk fabric, bleached by the sun, was dropped over the vanity like someone has just chosen them to wear. Jack goes to touch the material that breaks at the slightest of caress. It was the king’s room without a doubt.

Jack follows the magic deeper into another door. The door was smaller but just as nicely decorated. The second one was much harder to pry open. Jack used three old swords that end up snapping from the age. Yet the door remained closed. 

Whatever was behind that door was the only thing with enough magic to  _ hopefully  _ cast a spell strong enough to take Jack home. 

Jack searched for objects in and out of the room to use, but even if things might look new, time has worn them down, and they break easily. 

The magic is fading, and it’s fading fast.

Jack looks at his provisions. He has a change of clothes, food rations for a day or two if he is careful, and a bottle with pure magic. The magic should be enough for three spells. Not enough to take him home or grow something on the sand, just to aid him in a fight if he were to need it.

“Anyone here?” Jack tries one more time and then looks at his bottle. What else would he do with it? Jack pulls the cork from the bottle, and a yellow light floats out “ _ Dirumpere! _ ”

The light swirls and twists the doors into splinters, sand cascades down, covering Jack up to his knees. 

Jack closes the bottle and steps in, kicking the sand. He couldn’t tell what it was because the room was covered in sand. Jack puts his belongings on a corner and begins shoveling sand off the floor, feeling for something. 

Jack felt something flat and hard like a wall. He trails up with his fingers until he finds the edge, it was tall like a platform. 

Jack climbs over it and walks ahead overly confidently like he has solved some sort of puzzle. He takes a wrong step and finds himself sinking rapidly into the sand. Jack tries to crawl out, but he is in a bowl. He panics and tries to reach for something to help him get out, and then he feels between the sand, an arm. In a split second, all of his blood drains from his face as Jack screams in horror. He closes his eyes tightly before telling himself that whoever it is, is long gone. 

Jack takes a few shaky breaths and moves closer to the body because that’s how Jack will get out of the bowl. The elf ignores his cries and tries not to think why the body is a body and not a skeleton, he focuses on moving ahead, and then he feels it. A cold metal between the warm sand through his thick leather gloves. It was electrical, and it begged Jack to take it. 

Jack tries to pull it but unable, he digs for it. It is a delicate, overly designed small knife held by a hand. Jack makes a ‘tsk’ sound with his tongue. “What a story will this be at the tavern?” Jack has to play to ignore the horrible eerie feeling of sitting over a corpse. 

“I hope you don’t mind” Jack lifts the heavy arm and tries to open the palm holding the knife. “Me borrowing your magic knife?” He tries to use a piece of metal salvaged from the door. “You would tell me if it is cursed, right?” Jack stops and nods, “Is definitely cursed. But one problem at the time.” Jack needs the magic, he needs the knife. 

“Bitch! You don’t need it anymore!” The fingers were frozen in place. Jack considers trying to look for objects to break the hold, but like the door, only magic will do. 

The elf looks outside, the sun planted high in the sky, and it’ll remain there for a week. Jack’s skin was already severely sunburned, his tongue swollen and dried, and his eyes felt heavy.

Jack lets his head hang down and wonders again, why did he, a moon elf, came to the desert? With no satisfying answer, Jack stands and walks to his bag. Jack uncaps the bottle, and carefully measures the magic needed for the spell. 

“ _ Dirumpere! _ ”

Nothing.

The gravity of the situation and the frustrating reality that it’s his fault, he put himself in this situation. 

Jack won’t die here, he refuses.

He takes a deep breath and calls for any residual of magic within, not much at all, and the rest of the magic in his bottle.

Jack aims at his target before betting all of his magic in one last spell. 

“ _ et conteram tenaci! _ ” The magic rips from his chest, like lighting, is born from the sky. The knife breaks and Jack stares at the pieces. 

The moment in which his last hope gets destroyed by his own hands, Jack lets gravity take him as he sinks on the sand. Tears Jack doesn’t bother to control anymore wet the sand, and the ground drinks them like they are the last water drops in the world.

“Shit,” Jack says to no one. The magic in the knife trickles through the grains without a vessel, and in mere seconds it fades into nothing. “Fucking amazing.” 

There might be some left, but Jack's senses are dull, and he won’t be able to harness magic without a vessel.

“This! This is gonna be one hell of a story to tell,” Jack looks at the leftover magic in his bottle, and he hears the building crumble. 

Without the magic holding the palace together, it will come down, it should have long ago. Jack takes a deep breath and closes his eyes tightly. 

One problem at the time. 

Jack doesn’t notice something moving under the sand.

The sand in front of him rises as a large man slowly stands, released from the knife’s curse after so long. 

Jack holds his bottle tighter and stops breathing. 

A bewildered man looks around him, only finding sand where his magnificent palace and riches once where, his eyes stop on Jack. He stands tall, towering over Jack. 

He seems almost human from his hips up, but the lower portion of his body is of a giant snake. The tail moves under the sand as he comes closer to Jack.

Jack cowards under him. 

Whatever he turns their sand and decay, except for the boy.

“Your highness!” Jack shouts and stops the creature. 

The light skin was severely damaged and covered by a thick layer of sand, the long hair matted with sand, and his once lovely face dried by the sun. But Jack could see the king in the monster. 

“I destroyed the magic knife that kept you,” Jack lifted his head and found those golden eyes a few centimeters from him. The lamia didn’t make a sound. No, Jack didn’t know what the man was, but he wasn’t a lamia, somehow Jack was sure. “I freed you,” Jack finishes weakly. “Please spare my life. I’m but a young elf!”

The king looks around and then back to Jack. 

“What happened here?” Jack relaxes when the naga moves to the window and stares past the long sand paths. “Who rules his land?” 

“Uh, which sector?” Jack tries to remember the many self-proclaimed lords, the lamia gang, and faux-leaders of the desert. Even Jack has claimed a route for himself. Before he could better explain the whole floor trembles. 

The palace is falling. 

Jack picks all his belongings after a particular strong tremble and moves to run out. Jack pulls his goggles down

“This land has been divided. What a shame.” He says in some sort of daze. 

“-And I don’t want to die squeezed like a bug. So, sorry for waking you up-”

“No, I have a feeling it was long overdue.” The man moves slowly like it pains him. 

Jack stares at the old king for a second, and then he turns to run out of the door just to see the floor in front of him split open. Jack can’t make it. Not alone. “Your highness! Are you planning to die here?” Jack screams, hoping the old king would know what to do.

A clawed hand lifts Jack from the floor up to the golden eyes of the naga.

“Are You threatening me?!” He roars out. And Jack swallows hard at the promise of another quick death. 

“No, your highness! I would never! But the palace is coming down!” Small rocks fall from the ceiling and the naga gives them a simple glance of acknowledgement. 

The naga jumps out of the window holding Jack with one arm. 

“What are you doing?” Jack whines while holding to the naga’s arm for his dear life.

The tail struggles to grab to the wall to not free fall to the ground, but there was enough friction to break the high jump. Jack screams all the way down.

As soon as they touch the ground, the palace behind them collapses into a pile of dust. 

The naga releases his savior and turns to look at what was once his palace

“A shame, really.” The man says, staring at the remains of his life, now it was more sand for the Calidi-Issimo desert. 

Jack breathes heavily and falls down. “I survive that,” he then sees a single gold coin with the profile of a beautiful man. A rare moment of sympathy tightens Jack’s heart. He stands and looks at the long way ahead, and then to the pile of rocks next to him.

“I bet it was pretty,” Jack tries to offer some sort of comfort. He didn’t want to think much about the fallen king, because it was sad. But, if that man was a naga, then he could cross the desert. 

“It was beautiful, prosperous, and full of riches, and now is dust.” He gave one last longing look before turning around towards the silhouette of the city. 

“I know a good place where you can rest these heavy memories, your highness,” Jack says, and the naga stops to look at him.

“Thank you.” He says suspiciously but also like he has just noticed Jack for the first time. “But I’ll travel alone. I thank you for freeing me, I repaid my debt by saving you.” 

“Oh, I accept all your thanks humbly, your highness. But traveling alone in the desert is tricky, and you just woke up. Allow me to, um, climb over you and guide us through the fastest path to the city.”

“I don’t need a guide. I can see the city from here.” The naga says and advances, his body aches but he still appreciates stretching his muscles. 

“That’s what all think!” The elf runs ahead and stops in front of the naga. “But this desert is especially difficult and without a guide-”

“Listen, mm”

“Jack.”

“Your name is Jack?” That was an odd name for an elf. Of course, ‘Jack’ was also an odd looking elf, pink with red spots, hair and eyes a vibrant red, but he didn’t smell of fire or iron. But then again, time has passed and many things could had changed.

“Yes, Jack. And. Your highness, mighty Chase Young, please allow me to escort you through the deadly sands of the Calidi-Issimo and offer you my own water to replenish you at my humble home.” Jack bows like an expert and the naga recognizes the charms of a thief.

“While water and a meal sound great, I need no guide, Jack. I lived in these sands and I know of their dangers better than anyone. I fear not the sand giants, the tlincallis, the poison fauna or flora,” Chase goes around Jack and adds, “I have many things to think and a traitor to punish, and my patience for conmen is pretty thin. I warmed you because you freed me.” Immediately Jack returns to block Chase’s way. “Do you have a deathwish little elf.”

“Literally nothing of what you said exists in this desert!” Jack says so fast it takes longer to process his words than to listen to them. 

“Explain.”

“Nothing grows in this forsaken place, so no animals come to live here. No animals, not bigger creatures. I assure, nothing lives here.”

“Nothing.” Chase repeats and he slips his tongue out. The air smells like heat and metal. And besides himself and Jack, Chase couldn’t hear anything. Not even wind. The elf wasn’t lying, there is no life in the desert. It made the land feel hunted. “It will make it so much easier to cross then.” 

The elf tried to run again but he was too tired. Defeated Jack screams as loud as he can.

“You are gonna get lost and die!” Jack prepares to scream ‘Your highness,’ a mocking tone when he feels himself being lifted by the tunic.

“Is that a threat or a warming?” A pink dried forked tongue tasted the air around him.

“Warming!” Jack puts his hands up harmlessly. “I’m a guide. I’m a guide and I see so many people that believe that they can just go on their own but this desert is different. You’ll get lost, your highness, unless you have a guide.” 

The silence was filled with suspicion 

“I’m but a simple elf, trying to make a living in the desert by digging up jewels and working as a guide. You are a king, you obviously got stuff going on, and I bet that after all that time sleeping -um, trap, you don’t want to waste a few weeks just trying to get out of the desert.”

“I do have things to do.” Chase agrees, feeling oddly soothed by Jack. The little elf must be experienced in that area. “I accept your guidance.”

“Perfect!” Jack moves to climb the large tail, but the naga moves out of the way.

“I’m not a horse!”

“Your highness, if I were to walk on my own then we will take four times, no, five times as long to get to the city. But if we both have the time?” Jack tries again. 

“I supposed it can’t be helped.” The naga lowers himself for the elf to climb on.

“Thank you, your highness. It is. An. Honor.” Jack didn’t have time for attitude or a quest. Every minute not traveling was an hour wasted. 

He stares at the brown tail and prepares to mount like he would a horse, but the skin was flaky. Jack barely contained his disgust as he continued to climb on top. While the snake skin was peeling like cheap paint, it was thick and oddly soft like leather. 

“Go west first, there is a sinkhole that forms on the east,” Jack says as he fixes his layers to cover his skin as best as possible and puts his goggles on. The goggles were made of yellow glass and a red spiral, it gave the elf an even more bizarre look. 

The city didn’t appear any closer, but Jack assured his ride that it was a trick of the eye. 

Besides directions, the pair didn’t speak to each other, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. 

Jack was careful to track the trail behind them and the time with his pocket watch. The golden machine caught the eye of the naga.

“What is that you hold?” 

“A watch. It tells the time.” Jack struggles to show the watch, and he extends it for the other to see.

“Is it magic?” Chase asks, not detecting magic from it. Or from Jack. 

“No, it’s not. It’s a group of gears that turn rhythmically every hour. So once they finish their cycle, an hour has passed. It’s powered by a charged stone.” Jack answers automatically since it's a very common question. “Your highness,” Jack adds once he remembers who he is talking to.

“Did you steal it?” Chase felt he already knew the answer.

“No!”

They travel in silence for another hour. 

They continue to travel, and the city might be a bit closer. 

They stop once the day ends, while the sun is still pasted in place, thirty-two hours have passed since they started. 

Jack offers the naga a small piece of dried snake meat. They eat in silence and rest for twenty minutes before moving again. 

“Are watches known by high society?” 

“Um?” Jack remembers his companion can talk. The heat is messing with his head, but he can see the city and focus on that. They have two more days of travel, maybe less if his ride keeps going at the same speed. Perhaps they will cross the desert in four days instead of the week Jack initially calculated.

“The watch, the machine that tells you how much time has passed.”

“Oh. No, no. There are other ways to tell the time. Like enchanted bells or-”

“Did you make it?” 

“Um, the watch?” 

“Yes, Jack, the watch.” 

“Yes, no. No, the diagram was drawn for a large music box that would sign for a whole day. But I thought that a watch would be more useful.” Jack hides his bitterness under a chuckle, “who would want a music box that goes for that long.” 

“It sounds like a mistake. But your innovation is quite a life savior.” Chase likes thinkers, and it appears Jack might be one. They are always so usefulls. 

“Thank you,” Jack says, surprised that the other hasn’t insisted it was magic like many do.

Jack tells him a bit of the process of how he made the watch. But of course, he first has to explain a bit of basic mathematics and some advanced concepts. It was a pleasant surprise that Chase understood quite a bit, but more importantly, found it ‘fascinating.’ 

Jack spoke for hours and Chase asked for clarifications.

“Are all guides this knowledgeable?” 

“No, I read a lot. There is much to do.” Jack justified his expertise too quickly. 

He tries to stay quiet after, but he can’t.

Jack talks about the laws of physics and how not even magic can oppose them for long until his throat is too dried. 

“I hope to continue our conversation.” The naga gives him a too attentive look. 

Jack must have lost consciousness because when he lifts his head, he sees the entrance of the city. 

“Oh, for the love of all the stars, we made it!” Jack didn’t try to move because he was sure most of his body was asleep or with compromised blood circulation. They crossed the desert. Then he noticed that they were not moving. “Your highness?” 

“Jack, where should I go?” The naga kept his voice calm, but that gave him away. He was too relaxed about the situation. Jack would guess that he might be in shock.

“My home is all the way left,” Jack says, and immediately they move. 

The elf noticed that the naga made an active effort to avoid being seen. He buried his body on the sand and crept undetected until they made it to the small wood and metal house.

Jack untied himself and stretched his arms before carefully swinging a leg over the other side to get off. Of course, he ends up on the floor. A hand grabs his back and pulls him up. 

“Yeah. My legs are asleep.”

“And all my muscles are in agony. Open the door.” Golden eyes glare at him.

“Yes,” Jack hurries to obey, “Your highness.” 

The naga stares at the humble home and tries not to think, he slides in, filling every inch of the place. 

Jack did not consider his place small, but with a naga cram inside, it looks tiny.

“Please make yourself at home,” Jack says under his breath while squeezing himself in.

He finds and pulls a leather canteen hidden in a fake wardrobe. The elf takes the first drink and the second, but the third one literally snatched out of his hands by the king. Chase drinks desperately until he has drunk the last drop. Jack would be far more furious if it wasn’t the most emotion he has seen the naga express. 

“Is there more.”

“Yeah, but believe you must wait before drinking again.”

The king nods, and then he curls tightly around himself. He trusts Jack a bit more. Chase noticed that there is magic in the desert pulling him back, if he hadn't listened to Jack, he would have returned to the ruins over and over again in an attempt to escape the desert. 

Jack understands it has been a long trip, and a lot has happened. Jack finds the knitted blankets lying there. The exhaustion of the journey overpowers everything, and the pair lay almost peacefully under the protection of a thin wooden roof.

Chase Young doesn’t sleep, he can’t. 

He stays awake, untangling a millennial's worth of sand from his hair and skin, salt crystals grew in his scalp. The state of his scales is a tragedy, and his skin is tight like leather. He stays awake thinking of all he has lost, and how to hold the traitor responsible. 

Everything the naga knew has disappeared, and he will deal with whoever is responsible by any means necessary. But tonight, he reads a book using a slimmer of light from a crack wall and enjoys being awake.

Until the peculiar watch rings.

The elf stretches and immediately recoils on his own stench. 

Jack turns to look at his new roommate and immediate freakouts, but within the same second, he regains his composure. 

“How did you sleep?” Jack looks at the book the naga appears to be reading.

“I didn’t”

“What? Why? Because you were cursed to sleep for a long time. Yes. That makes sense. So- mm,” Jack stops awkwardly. Jack’s objective was to escape the desert by any means. Now that that was accomplished, what is he supposed to do with a naga king? “Your highness.” 

“Jack.” Chase could clearly see what Jack was thinking. Chase understood that Jack didn’t seem qualified or inclined to help him, but for now, Jack was the only person Chase knew. “Did you draw this?” 

“Um, yes.” Jack moves closer to see his diagram for a battery. “Is the energized rock I was telling you about.” 

“I have never known of metal with these properties.” 

“It doesn’t happen naturally. It’s called lithium, but you gotta combine it with other minerals. If you like that-” Jack steps over the old paper, moves books around, and he finds a book about alchemy. “This book really goes into detail.”

“You seem quite knowledgeable.” It was hard to see under the sunburnt skin, but Jack blushed at the compliment.

“Thank you. I experiment with old knowledge, and one day I’ll write a book about my own discoveries and inventions.” Jack wasn’t sure why he was sharing his deepest goals with the naga.

“I still need to catch up with all new advancements, I’m sure it will be quite a read.” Chase picks the book from Jack and opens it in a previously marked page. 

Jack smiles to himself, it has been a while since someone said something that was encouraging towards his dream. Instead of, 'no one leaves the desert.’ 

Suddenly Jack felt much more inclined to be kind to his guest.

“Well, are you ready for that second drink of water.”

“Yes!” Chase couldn’t hide the eagerness in his voice. 

This time Jack serves the water in a cup and a bowl, since he only owns a single cup. 

They finish their respective containers in one swing, and Jack pours a second one.

“I'm gonna need to go get some water.”

“Where do you get water?”

“There is well.”

Both men took their drinks, and Jack poured the third one.

“It’s far?”

“Not terribly, a day to get there a day to get back. But the real problem is that’s ridiculously pricey.” 

“Water is rare here. Any other water sources, less pricey?”

They take a break in their conversation to drink their final water ration.

“The well is actually pretty full, it should be the fullest right now since we just got this huge rainstorm. The problem is the owner of the well. He rises and lowers the price as he pleases.” Jack moves to a drawer and pulls a small pouch with nuts and dried pieces of mouse meat. Chase can’t help to stare hungrily as Jack separates their portions. “There is also the Oasis, cheaper, nicer and with pools of water-”

“Pools?!” Chase felt giddy at the idea of dipping his whole body in water. The correct treatment for a king! 

“Pools, like pools of cold crystal water!” Jack smiles at the memories. “But it’s almost a week of travel. There are trees and vegetation that makes the trip much better than going to the Calidi-Issimo desert, but it’s still a week.” Both nod in mutual agreement that the trip would be too much for right now. Jack noticed how fast the naga seems to be accomodating to this life. 

“When are you going to the well?”

“I don’t want to go, plus I lost my horse,” Jack remembers the storm he got caught on. “I’m not getting that horse back. And I’m not going on that trip by foot.”

“I assumed we would go together,” Chase says, and Jack’s eyes fill with hope and adoration he hasn’t felt in a long time. 

“I don’t have to buy a new horse. Your highness, that’s so kind of you!” 

“I’m not a horse.” Chase first clarifies, “I need to drink water too, but I have no money. Actually, I’m not sure what money looks like anymore.”

“We do a lot of trading here, but we do use money. Wait, I think you are gonna find this funny.” Jack goes to a corner of the house, turns to Chase, and points his tail covering aboard. He moves his tail, Jack kneels, opens the floorboard, and pulls another pouch. They jingled the pouch and metal against metal clicking loudly. 

Chase picks a piece of meat from his plate, enjoying a supplement he hasn’t had in a long time. Jack pulls some coins and looks for one to give to Chase. 

It looks like a simple gold coin until Chase notices the profile on the side of the coin. He couldn’t really see it, but he saw enough to recognize it. Those were his kingdom's currency, faded out of history. He didn’t find it funny at all.

Chase returns the coin without commenting on it.

“Who is the owner of the well? And what are you planning to give them?” Jack puts the pouch away, feeling guilty for souring their previously lighter mood. 

“An ugly bastard Vlad, he is a tlincalli, and he fucking loves it here. And we have an agreement. I translate books for him, and draw maps for him to sell.” Jack takes a few nuts and stuffs his mouth. He noticed the naga not showing any sign of discomfort by the mediocre meal and living conditions. “Last year, he gave me seven books to translate with an order of twenty constellation maps. And at the last minute he decides to no longer accept two of the books I translated cause he didn’t like them as much as he thought! Fucking idiot, I hope he cuts his dick while jerking off!” 

The last part made Chase choke, but Jack didn’t care to notice.

“He sounds utterly despicable.” 

“He is! He is always trying to get ‘favor’ for a few cups of water. A few cups of water, at least throw there a full canteen. Bitch thinks I’m cheap.” Jack eats some more and complains a lot more. It was odd, he didn’t notice how much he misses talking to people. 

Chase, on the other hand, enjoys listening to Jack, he learns far more by piecing together all the clues than from those books.

“Well, I’ll go with you. If you were to need some help, don’t hesitate to request my help.”

“Aw, sweet. But he mostly talks. I can handle him.” 

Chase nods and drops the conversation.

After cleaning the space where they eat, Jack takes out a larger bowl and fills it halfway with water. He lets Chase know that it’s for washings and offers him a rag to dip in the water and clean himself.

The pair began the process.

Chase enjoys tremendously being able to clean himself. It was a small improvement in his situation. The water felt cold and soothing over their sunburnt skin. Chase began with his face while Jack strips down. The light brown, and yellow-stained off-white clothes piles between them. Jack hisses at the discovery that he is just as sunburnt under his clothes as above. All his skin as a painful hue of pink.

Chase was surprised by the lack of modesty and cordially avoids staring. 

Jack notices and chuckles.

“It used to bother me too.” He confesses, remembering when he first got to the desert. “But water is too scarce, and you gotta take your best shower fast, or others will use the water.” 

“You seem used to sharing a … shower.” Chase tries to get rid of the thick layer of fine sand that is glued to his skin. 

“When I first got here, I had to use others’ resources. They called it ‘baby II,’ two years in which people actually help you get your supplies, they go by fast. I learned to not be shy really quick.” Jack still blushes while washing his private zones and did not return the rag to the water, since Chase was still using it. He suddenly felt embarrassed and wondered how a king's shower looked. 

“People seem much more welcoming than I expected for a mock city made out of bandits.” Frustrated with completely dirting his rag with the sand dust, Chase leans down to wash his hair. 

“We gotta stick together!” Jack smiles and stops Chase from touching the water. “But every favor made is a favor owed,” Jack says and waits to see Chase’s reaction. “Your highness.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything for free.” Chase straightens himself, making sure to show how much bigger he is than his elf savior. But Jack didn’t coward at that: he didn't want to appear weak in the presence of a king.

“Good.” Jack picks the bowl and moves it to the floor. “I use the water to wash my clothes,” Jack explains, feeling a bit guilty, he remembers the first time he understood that he couldn’t wash his hair like he used to. The feeling should be far worse for the naga, who looks like he encountered a dust storm.

“Very resourceful,” Chase adds to show that he wasn’t mad.

“I gotta be!” Jack continues the conversation while putting on a new off-white tunic and rolling the long sleeves up. “This is a very unforgiving land.” Jack kneels down to wash his clothes.

“I see.” Chase looks at the pink skin screaming in vibrant shades of red. “Harsh place to form a city.”

“No one looks for anyone here, great if you are hiding.” Jack hummed, “ Harsh place for a kingdom.”

“It was meant for creatures tailored to this life.” 

“More nagas?” Jack is surprised, he didn’t know much about the history of the desert. But then again, no one did. 

“No, but that doesn't matter. Nagas are rare, I’m surprised you recognized me for what I am”

Jack met one naga before, it wasn’t a nice experience.

“I read about them in a book, and once I saw you standing, I knew that you were not a lamia.” 

“So no one else would know.” Chase states.

“Of course, your highness.” That was the end of their conversation. 

Jack finished washing in silence and then picked some shoes to put on. He moves outside and puts his clothes to dry on the roof, it will cool the house down, and returns inside for a bag, a hat, a few items to trade, his pouch with coins and an empty bottle.

“I’m going to the market. If someone gets on the roof, scare then off.” Jack instructed the naga, who was curled on himself, reading the book Jack recommended. “We are leaving tomorrow to get some water, after that, you can have a whole bowl for yourself. A shower suit for a royalty, your highness” Jack tries to soothe the wrong offense. 

It still had the desired effect.

“I look forward to it.” The naga gives him an amused smile. 

Jack steps out, fixes his hat, and walks to the market.

The absurdity of his situation was still up in the air. 

A bit of wind picks up, blowing humid heat inside Jack’s clothes. 

The wind was a rare occurrence in the desert, and Jack picked up his pace. The closer Jack gets the noisier it is. Jack welcomes the noise; the desert is quite like a graveyard, while the market is loud like a riot.

“Jack!” A vendor calls him in surprise, and Jack makes it his first stop. “Kid, you are alive. Guppy has been going around, saying that you are dead. She got bids on your watch.”

“Boo, bitch was obviously lying for attention.” Jack looks at the dried food and picks a few things. Would the naga like it? Jack hated the food in his first month in the desert. But hunger is an excellent seasoning that makes dirty water taste like ambrosia and rat stew like heavens themselves. “Also, I thought she was dead. Didn’t she go mad, started digging that hole in the ground and got stuck somewhere?”

“The rain flush her out.” The vendor laughs.

“Lucky bastard. Where is she?”

“Crying at the tavern. The idiot thought he could make a well closer to us by digging a big hole.”

“But the sand gave in once it got wet.”

“The hole collapsed the very same day it rained. We could have all told her if she asked.” 

“I might be unlucky, Sire, but at least I’m not stupid.” Jack pulls a few coins, and Sire wraps his food.

“Then what happened to you, Jack, my dear boy. You have been gone for almost a week, one more day and they would have ransacked your house.”

“I got stuck in the rainstorm during a job and then got stuck in the desert.” 

“I thought your face looks worse than usual. But why take a job right before the rainstorm?” 

“Good pay. No, it wasn’t worth it. And I’m still not as stupid as Guppy.” Jack takes his food and walks away. 

The next stop was jam, it wasn’t right, but it was the closest to not dried food, so it was always in high demand. They were also selling fresh figs and plums. Jack sneaks a few sniffs of the fruits, but he knew better than to buy it. He left with his mouth-watering thinking about the juicy sweet cold plum and with heavy jars of fig and plum jam. 

Jack exchanged some of the ‘leather’ the naga shed for an extra aloe vera balm. Lara did mention that the leather looks strange, but it will do just fine. She will let Jack know if she was interested in doing the deal again. 

Jack exchanged some of his older books for a blacksmith’s work, he made metal shapes for Jack’s inventions.

“Hey, Pretty?” Jack loves the name of the man, obviously fake but cute nonetheless. The heavily tattooed and scared centaur hums but doesn’t turn from his new book. “Do you have anything about magical creatures in your collection?”

“No, really, or maybe. Snips from stories, what are you looking for?”

“Something about nagas.”

“Nagas? I haven’t seen one. I don’t know of anyone who has seen one. I thought they all died in the Valley war.”

“Mm, I heard Guppy talking about them, though she was pretty drunk.”

“Don’t listen to anything that woman says. The poor soul is dumb as a rock, but she means well.” He smiles at his play in words, “but don’t worry about nagas, they are all gone or hiding under a rock.”

“Sure,” Jack says and looks at the tiny metal gears before thanking the blacksmith one last time.

“Hey, Jack.” He calls and Jack returns. “I never told you when you first asked me, you were still new, and I didn’t trust you. But the mountains you see as you go inside the desert, they used to hold a very powerful naga.”

“What happened?” When Jack just got to the desert, he wanted to reach the palace because of the treasures it might hold. The plan was to grab as many jewels as he could and jump to better lands. But he didn't. The elf wondered, what were the naga's plans? 

“Same old, same old. His partner killed him and stole his riches. But before dying, he cursed all his possessions, so nothing of his would leave too far from his palace. It’s said that that's why once you pick a jewel from the desert, you are bound to the Calidi-Issimo desert.” 

“Spooky.” Jack tries playfully, but it comes a bit more sincere. He could ask the king himself, Jack supposed.

“Lighten up, kid. It’s just a tale. If you think that you saw the naga king in the desert, you might just have been delirious.” The centaur puts his hand on Jack and gives him a good shake. “Rest and come back later.”

“Word sure travels fast.” Jack laughs.

“There isn’t much to do.” 

Jack walks around a bit after. The market is its friendliest after rain. 

When it rains, everyone comes naked to shower under the dark sky, all clothes are brought out to wash, and all sorts of containers are filled with water. Sadly Jack missed the best rain in the last century or so, and no one here will trade or sell their water. That's the only thing you won’t find in the market. 

Jack kills enough time before going to his last stop, No-name. She made the mistake of saying ‘no-name’ when first asked, and the town will literally call you whatever you said your name was. No-name, like many who first found themselves in a trash city, believed this was a temporary stop. Now she owns a stand in the center of the market, the area with the most shade. No-name was, unlike Jack, a very powerful forest elf. She extracts her own magic and bottles it up for a price.

She was a bit full of herself like most elves are, but she wasn’t mean. No-name offered her friendship multiple times, but Jack can’t help but resent her. 

No-name sits under the shade reading a book Jack traded her last month, which means she doesn't need a new one yet. 

“Jack!” She signals him to come closer. 

“No-name, how was the rain?” 

“Just wonderful!” She smiles widely, and the freckles over dark skin become more evident. “I thought you were dead.” 

“Got stuck in the storm and then strangled in the desert.” 

“Oh, I heard it!” She says, after all, Jack has been in the market for approximately two hours, that’s plenty of time for all market-goers to know.

“Also, I used all of my magic.” Jack pulls out his glass bottle.

“So fast, but when death is near…”

“No-name, do you think you can get me some more.”

“Sure, the rain has revitalized me!” She flexes her arms to showcase her biceps. Jack heard that when No-name first came to the city, she was a skinny little thing, not the muscle enthusiastic she is. Jack cannot imagine. He wonders like he hasn't in decades, what was she hoping to find in the desert of all places? 

“You think I can buy some more than my usual quota?”

“How much?”

“How much do you have?”

“Um?” No-name looks at her dear friend. “A good amount I could do enough for sixteen spells or more, but that’s a lot.” Most clients just buy two or three at the time.

“Yes. I’m thinking of taking a trip soon.”

“Are you gonna get out of here?” She jokes. Many try every so often, but no one actually leaves. Jack tries every few years. 

“No,” Best to tell anyone yet, “ I’m working on a new invention, and I think I'm gonna need a lot more magic than what I have.”

“Woah! I can’t wait to see it! I always thought that your inventions would actually work if you just use magic. You really gotta start collecting the moon’s magic when she is here.” Night only came once a week. 

“Yeah.” Jack tries to ignore the sting her words leave, she means well. “That's why I'm gonna need more than my usual.”

“How much?” No-name holds a stick that she uses to concentrate her magic and uncaps Jack’s bottle.

“Ten.” Jack says, “Three to replenish my usual ones, two cause I need to go to the well to collect water since I missed the rain,” No-name doesn’t react at all to that sentence, she will not share her water. “And five to enhance my invention,” Jack explains to avoid suspicion.

“Five, a good number. Let me know if you wanna do some chanting or a ritual. It has been a while since I shared a ritual with another elf.” She says while she puts an end of her stick on the mouth of the bottle, a yellow light flows in until the bottle is full. “You know where I live.”

“Thanks, No-name, I’ll let you know,” Jack says and gives her most of his coins. 

He will never do a ritual with her or any other elf.

Jack returns to his little home, feeling more shitty than usual.

He never asked anyone what brought them to the desert. If they are here, then it's something they really don't want to talk about. Also, there is a rigorous rule in this town, if you ask someone’s reasons to be here, you must be ready to share yours. Jack isn’t ready to share. 

He walks a bit faster, holding his supplies, and wonders for how long someone like a king will stay in this sad, cursed town. 

Jack enters his home to see that Chase has given himself permission to reorganize the house. However, it was hard to know the difference since Chase’s body occupies most of the space.

“I’m back.” Jack doesn’t bother to mention the changes. He drops his groceries on the table and pulls two jars of aloe vera balm out. Jack moves to the only mirror in the house, small and broken but usual, and puts a generous scoop balm over his face. It was worth everything Jack owns, it immediately relaxes his muscles and hydrates his skin. Jack covers his face, neck, a bit of his scalp and cleans the rest on his back and shoulders. 

“What is that?” Chase asks. 

“Balm.” Jack throws the other jar.

Chase copies Jack and pours the balm over his neglected skin. The relief was immediate. 

“This is what I needed.” Chase lets out a long sigh.

“My skin is pretty delicate, and I need lots of aloe vera balm.” Jack turns to look for a space to sit, but the naga has occupied most of the room, so he stands. He wonders if the naga used something similar. “It’s expensive.”

“It feels nice.” The other closes his eyes but he could feel the tension rising from Jack. “Something to say.”

“Nothing in here is forgiving. This land is a fucking tyrant over your life; it demands constant work just to earn your right to live here. Still, you get nothing but existence," The elf wasn't sure why he said that at all. "What I mean to say is that nothing here is free. I freed you, and you saved me.”

“Are you saying that we are even?” Chase thought Jack would try to get something out of him.

“Not quite, I shared my home, resources, and even my precious balm with you.” 

“In return, I’ll take you to the well, we agreed on this.” There it was.

“Yes, but then we will share resources once again.” Jack drags out the sentence like he is about to make a proposition.

“What do you want, Jack?” The king didn’t have the patience to draw an overly complicated conversation, he was tired. 

Jack stood there uncomfortable. He should know, he had been thinking about it all morning yet he couldn't say it. 

He just stood there in silence.

The king wasn’t surprised, he was but a young elf in the wrong place, but he felt disappointed. Jack was smart, resourceful, and daring. Yet, the elf struggled to answer the most primal of questions, what a waste. 

“I’ll tell you what I want.” He produced a delicate knife, the same from the palace, but it was empty. It was but an ordinary blade. “I want someone to suffer. I want to find every book that holds the witch’s name and burn it. I want to track every descendant of her blood and drain them of their magic until they are, but a shell left to rot in the sun like she did to me. I want to tear to pieces everything she loved. I want Wuya, The Heart of Stone, The Heylin Witch, the one who betrayed me, robbed me, but didn't have the decency to kill me like a warrior. I want to travel to her grave called upon her ghostly self so she can see the destruction of her name and never rest again.” The naga breathes out his anger and ignores the tears that sting his eyes. “I want to see her face one last time and laugh.” 

Jack saw himself into those golden eyes and felt a chill. 

The elf yearns for that determination and power. 

“I want to leave this place and slap Mother Usuma in the face.” Jack burst out his much smaller quest. “I want to be an inventor. I want to be famous and powerful.” 

The naga hums examine Jack with a curious eye.

“Then, we both want to leave.”

Leaving the desert felt like a huge feat. Even though Jack has been thinking and preparing all morning, he still wonders if he will actually go. 

Both men carefully evaluate their current alliance and how to use the other to their advantage.


	2. Lost to the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some cool desert characters, Jack loses his life savings, and Jack and Chase finally make it to the edge of the desert. They grow closer together, but there are still lots they don't know about each other.

Chapter 2 

**Lost to the word**

The sun stands high in the sky and sunlight slips through the cracks in the walls and window corners. Hot air circles in the room like an oven but it offers shelter from the sun making it much more bearable than the outside. The moon elf sleeps in the darkest corner of the room, his soft breathing and the ticking of a watch lull the world into a quiet stop. Jack said that it was sleeping time. A week at the Calidi-Issimo desert is a single day, one-hundred-sixty-two hours of sunlight and six minuscule hours of the night. Time moves so slowly that the naga was haft convinced it was frozen.

Maybe he has been living the same second for a few hours now. Because it’s now a week since he woke up in a different time on land he doesn’t recognize, but it feels like it’s just a very long day. 

The watch rings and Chase goes to see up the mechanism. 

Jack wakes up annoyed that his sleep is interrupted and then he remembers their conversation. 

“Hey,” Jack walks to the alarm tripping over the long tail that curls on the floor. The elf sighs and climbs the scaly flaky mess to reach the torso, and then he extends his arm to turn off the alarm. “I thought we already talked about this, your highness. Turn off the damn alarm.”

“It’s nice when it rings,” Chase says unbothered by the proximity. Jack stares at him with disbelief before jumping off his roommate and looking for the washing bowl.

“How did you sleep?” Jack pours some water.

“I didn’t.” Chase picks a clean rag from the rope and begins the process.

“Again?” Jack uses a brush to clean his teeth and offers a new one for Chase. “Is it the sunlight? I know a lot of light comes through the cracks, I have meaning to fix them but I never got around it. Does it bother you?” Jack was babbling. 

“No, I like the light, I can read near it when I’m bored.” Chase was surprised by how much dust was still engraved in his skin. He attempts to rub harder, but that results in a sheet of skin shedding, and he isn’t sure if it's a good or bad thing. He really is due for a shedding, maybe he could use a sand bath. 

Even in the desert, the naga loved the heat of the sun but without adequate shelter, he had grown tired of it. 

Jack finishes cleaning himself and moves to prepare for their trip. 

“Usually I like to do this trip in a group.” Jack prepares a quick breakfast to go. “The way there is nothing extraordinary, but the way back with the water is the tough part. We are gonna need three days. Leave today, rest there for a few hours, and head back before the sunrise.” Jack adds some cloaks, “maybe you will have better luck with sleep there.”

Chase effortlessly takes the supplies from Jack and goes outside. 

“I could take a sand bath in the way, it might quicken my shedding.” The naga was about to start tying the supplies to his back when Jack stopped him waving a light brown tunic.

“Here take this-”

The naga hisses and the elf steps back.

“Fine, sure. Burnt your skin all you want.” Jack says but he steps forward offering the tunic once again. Chase stares at the light yellow-brown-ish fabric and then up to the sun. He takes it without a thank you and continues his work.

They hurry before the rest of the town comes alive, and leave without being seen. 

Chase hasn’t asked to stay hidden, but Jack picked enough clues to know. He appreciates Jack’s clever mind and resourceful nature. 

Jack points the way and adds multiple times how fast they are going. 

He tells him stories of past travels and repeats how fast they are going. 

Jack points to a rock formation where the well is and then remarks how fast they are going.

They reach a large hole in the rock made by rock and glass, its rumor that lighting constantly hits the area. 

“We are here!” Jack declares.

“It hasn’t been a day, has it?”

“No, four hours. You might not be a horse but you are the fastest creature I have ever ridden!” Jack jumps off and looks back to see his city from the distance “Woah”

“I’m not a horse.”

“Just Woah!” Jack smiles widely as his brain tells him he could make a business out of this. But Chase is too smart and volatile to control, and dealing with water is playing with fire. “We can outrun the fucking lamia gang!” Jack punches the air in excitement.

“There was a gang we were supposed to fight,” Chase asks and Jack gives him a tight smile. Chase wasn’t too worried about a few lamias so he didn’t push the matter.

“Let's go down,” Jack climbs on the tail and uses the rope as reins, “giddy-up.”

“Not a horse!” Chase says but advances into the sinkhole. It was easier to grip than the palace’s walls since there was a great assortment of rock but also large chunks of glass. 

“Careful!” Jack stands up a bit and holds Chase’s shoulders for support. He looks over his shoulder to see the many angles they shift before reaching the ground. Chase looks at a small weak but very green tree. All around them were vegetation and the sound of critters moving out of the way.

“There is lots of water here,” Chase says surprise. “Is here where the river went?”

“Yeah, there are even birds and- wait, what river?” 

“What are you?” A voice asks rudely.

“Vlad,” Jack calls, then he reaches as high as he can to whisper in Chase’s ear, “That's the ugly son of a bicth that is in charge of the water. We all hate his guts.” Then he signals to move closer, “This is, um, King, he is just passing by. He is a lamia. You should know, there are plenty around here.” 

“I’ve seen lamias of all sorts,” The half scorpion man moves closer to them and Chase stops. “But I have never seen one this big. How big are you?” 

“He is shedding so can’t measure right now.” 

“No shit. He looks like he has been through the devils’ asshole.” Chase felt his face heat up with embarrassment and anger. The young tlincalli has a beautiful and strong shell, it shines against the blazing sun, his blond hair was long tied in a pristine bun, and he wore pretty jewels with pride. 

“No, just the heart of the desert,” Jack says and squeezes Chase’s shoulder. This information elicited a shock of terror and respect from the tlincalli. 

“The heart of the desert?!” Vlad looks at Chase with new eyes. “How did you survive?” 

Chase doesn’t answer, he is oddly surprised that a tlincalli, a creature born to thrive in the desert can’t make it to the heart. Unless that land was truly cursed. 

“He was stranded for a week.” Jack quickly adds. “I saw him on the way in and helped him with the last day of travel.” 

Vlad nods in rare understanding.

“A week. I didn’t make it four days and Jackie here helped me out too.” Vlad shakes his head in disbelief. Chase almost follows suit. Vlad, though already annoying, is a healthy young tlincalli, he should be able to live in the desert. “There is something very wrong in that desert,” Vlad says and pits on the ground. “I knew sand, I knew heat and frost, they were my companions since birth. I came here to conquer this land, sure I could muscle out any rejection that comes alone but nothing lives there. Nothing. I won’t return with something worth the years” Vlad’s anger bubbles out but then he looks at the little elf on Chase’s back “Or the occasional pretty elf, who soon will notice that the desert life is just not what suits them.” Vlad moves close so fast Chase only notices when a hand reaches out for Jack. Chase circles back and makes a show of distancing himself from the other. They stare at each other for a few moments.

“What are you?” Vlad asks again.

“A lamia, from the other side of the desert, I think.” Jack seems calmer than the pair. But Chase could hear Jack’s heartbeat accelerating. “He doesn’t speak much, I think that must be some damage from being straddled in the desert. But can we please get some water.” Jack pleads. The snake and the scorpion don't move, they stare waiting for the other to make the first move. “I got your stuff,” That got Vlad’s attention a bit better. “And is really raunchy,” Jack adds and Vlad loses his fighting stance.

“Lead with that next time.” He turns and pulls a curtain made with vines and moss to reveal a cave. “King,” Chase waits a moment like he expects Vlad to bow to him but of course he doesn’t. “Move overgrown worn, I don’t all day.”

Chase goes inside and the air is deliciously cold. 

He and Jack sigh in unison as they enter. 

The rock ceiling was covered with flowing fungus, but the walls and floor were free of this fungus, only the ceiling. The floor was unnaturally smooth, the rock pillars symmetrical and nicely spaced out. It was easy to follow the practically carved paths, and the multiple pools of water were all in constant movement and clear all the way to the bottom. The air smells clean even though the humid and dark conditions. 

“Beautiful, eh?” Jack says and it echoes throughout the caves. In the darkness with the soft light from the mushrooms, Jack felt at home. 

Vlad guides to a pool and signals to unpack. 

Jack and Chase move to fill the canteens. Vlad was vocal about avoiding dipping their dirty hands in the water, but it was just too tempting. The pair work slowly, enjoying the fresh air and shelter that could not be found anywhere else. It took them two hours to finish something that could have been done in twenty minutes.

Then they take another hour packing up. 

Jack moves to pay Vlad; four books, 8 maps, and 25 coins. 

Chase was too close for Vlad to touch Jack.

“Do you mind? You are not part of this transaction.” 

Chase crosses his arms and stays in place.

“Moonbean,” Chase gags at the nickname and Jack hits him lightly. “I’m thinking of starting a new very special trade, and I want to give you the opportunity to be my very first customer.”

“Did the lamias convince you to sell shrooms in here, cause that is a terrible terrible idea.”

“Yeah, no. I sent those losers away but every few months they come back.” Vlad moves away to show something to Jack, but the elf remains in place. It’s awkwardly they continue their conversation from their respective positions, which Chase finds very amusing. “I was thinking something we don’t get much around here, you, being from all over there might have a better taste for it than me. Born in an antarctic desert-”

“Antarctic desert?” Chase interrupts, surprised that Vlad wasn’t raised in a hot desert. 

“Now you can talk! I knew you were playing dumb. Now tell me, King, what the fuck are you?” Vlad tries to move closer ready to fight but Jack puts his hands up.

“He is just a big lamia!” Jack interferes “Now what was your business idea. I want to see.” He pulls Vlad to the direction he was going before.

“Don’t, Jack.” Chase moves close enough to be in range distance. 

“You wanna fight? I’ll end you!” Vlad is ready to deploy his own tail. Chase knew better than to fight a tlincalli when he was still so weak. Plus, a major water supplier. 

“Calm down. Jack is right I’m a lamia.” Chase tries “But I’m also half -um, something, I don’t know what.” He adds.

“Bastard is all you are then?” Vlad asks and Chase doesn’t answer. 

“Yeah, really sad, but in this trash city. Who doesn’t have a tear-jerking backstory.”

“I supposed. I no gonna ask,” Vlad says, keeping his distance, “It looks like you have gone through the wringer.” 

The naga straightens his back, maybe he will fight him anyways. Drink and rest here, take Jack as a guide and let the rest of the town to figure out what to do. Vlad looks around and picks a rock from a pool. It was smooth and porous. 

“Gonna give you a discount for it,” Vlad throws it to the other, “cause you really need it. Two gold pieces.”

“For a rock?!” Jack interrupts while Chase inspects said rock.

“It’s not a common rock moonbeam.” 

“Why pay for pumice when sand is free?” Chase kept the rock in his hand.

“I imagine you tried that already. I admit I am no expert on the sand, but this one is just not right. It sticks to you and just won’t let go.” The young man clicks his tongue, “not even water will take that dirt away, you must wait for the annual rain. Which, for your luck, just last week.” 

The naga found himself agreeing, he had traveled long and near but the sand had not cleaned his scales at all. The elf looks at the rock falling to see the difference between any other rock. Even if he did, he used all his money already.

“I don’t have any money,” Chase admits, “Can we make a deal?”

“Sorry no money, no deal.”

The silence became a bit tense, but Chase returned the rock.

“Well, that was… something, we are leaving now.”

“Wait!” The tlincalli was decided to get alone time with the elf. “I thought you wanted to see my product.”

“If we leave now we might make it before nightfall.”

“Bullshit” Vlad was right, even if they leave now, they will get home by nightfall.

“That’s why we gotta go now, thank you, Vlad.”

“I have fish!” The man screams in a last attempt to get the elf’s attention. And it works better than any spell could.

“Dried fish sticks?” Jack steps away from Chase.

“No,” Vlad says knowing the power he has. His father was right, it all comes to who has the most resources! “Live fish, my moonbeam.”

In that instant, all power dynamics switch. Jack turns to Chase and gives him a bright smile before going after Vlad.

“Jack?” Chase calls but Jack is already following Vlad to a much deeper cave system. The naga worry for his companion follows closely, almost sliding overy the wet smooth surface. “Jack seriously?” He can hear the pair running ahead. 

Once Chase catches up to them, Vlad holds Jack in his arms with a wide triumphant smile while Jack coos sweet nothings into his ear. The scorpion blushes and giggles as he nervously lets Jack to the ground. He stares at the hand Jack holds and he tries to cover his wide smile. Chase suddenly understood that Jack wasn’t in actual danger, but still. “For fish Jack? Fish?” 

If the couple heard, they didn’t bother to react. 

Jack lowers himself to the pool and suddenly the sparkle in his eye was lost. He stares in the water intensely at the big fish the swim circles in their pool. 

“You can pick whichever one you want.” Vlad declares sounding too happy with himself.

“I’m gonna refrain from doing that,” Jack answers with the most somber tone. “These fish are sick.” 

“No!” Vlad moves to the edge of the pool and Jack points at small red dots by their gills. “That’s scales, those are fish scales.”

“No, it’s an Aeromonas infection. It’s not bad but it will only get worse. You gotta sacrifice all fish with it, and give them some medicine. But there is no medicine for sick fish in the desert.” Jack stands up and pats Vlad’s back twice. “That’s rough buddy.” 

The elf then leaves the cave with his first companion without giving the tlincalli a second look.

“I got really excited there.” 

“You are a cold cruel individual, Jack,” Chase says surprised to be feeling a bit sorry for the tlincalli. After seeing his back, Chase could tell that he was much younger than he appears. 

“I’m a businessman,” Jack corrects as they walk back out, “You are gonna hate this part.” 

The outside heat feels a hundred times worse after being in the cold caves. But what bothered Chase was the floor, after moving to the nice smooth cold floor, he could really feel the grainy hot dirty floor with random glass sharps. 

“In a second thought. I understand if you have used your charms for a nice swim.”

“Haven’t. Bitch wants to protect his resources. He says he will let me if I join his harem.” Jack climbs on his spot and grabs whatever he can as Chase goes uphill. 

“He has a harem? I didn’t feel another presence beside us.” The way up was much easier than down, but the weight of the water is bound to slow him down.

“He is working on it.” They both laugh at that. 

They continue in comfortable silence.

The sun was going down and it wasn’t so terribly hot for a change, all the water canteens help regulate Chase’s body temperature and a rare cool breeze blows every few minutes.

They were still close to the well, and they could hear crickets singing and mice moving and birds flying.

“It’s nice,” Chase says more relaxed than he has been all week.

“Suspiciously nice.” Jack agrees.

“Suspiciously? Is it never nice in here?” Chase chuckles and feels Jack tired self almost rests his head on his back.

“No, it never is. It’s always hot, there is never enough food and water, nothing is born here.” Jack says and they both stay quiet, a bit shocked by those words.

“Then why not leave.”

Jack kept quiet again like he did last time. 

Chase didn’t push, but Jack felt his patience will soon wear thin. 

“Still, it’s nice today.” He looks at the orange sky.

“It is.” Jack agrees.

As it gets darker Jack tells Chase about the stars. The king knew them pretty well in his day, and they compared routes. 

The night creeps in and the pair looks at their warm breath condense around their mouths. 

“It has been a bit since I looked at the moon.” Jack looks at the half-moon.

“It has been a longer bit since I looked at the stars,” Chase says.

The stars have moved since the last time Chase fell asleep, and he stares at them intensely. He studied them so passionately, how dare they move on without him? How could his joy be used up while he slept? How dare the world to spin and leave him?

“Chase?” Jack’s voice was a shiver. “We are here. If you keep going in this direction you will be seen. If you have been already.” Jack steps off. “I’ll go this way and pick us some dinner. We deserve something stronger. You go home and put the water away.” Jack gives him his only key without worrying, there isn’t much for Chase. “I’ll see you soon.”

Chase nods and leaves without a word. He barely has gotten comfortable when he hears Jack is back.

Opening the door was hard because Chase’s tail was in the way. But after a few good kicks, the naga got the message and moved out of the way. 

“Hey!” Jack enters, lights the candle by the door, and he finds Chase on the floor. While that was natural for his tail, it was the first time Jack sees Chase’s back on the floor. “Are you sleeping?” Jack holds both bowls up in one hand and maneuvers around the tail, “I didn’t think you would sleep in this weather.” Jack finds a space near the tired man and kneels with the utmost precaution to not waste even a drop of the curry. “If you want to eat an actual meal, sit up. Guppy is back working and she fills them extra nice for us”

Chase sits up and takes his plate. Both men prepare to take the first spoonful.

“But also, she is a compulsive gossiper so everyone gonna know I asked for two plates by tomorrow.” 

The curry was warm and very aromatic, but the first thing you would notice is how salty it was. 

“It tastes like I just lick a rock.” Chase snaps of whatever thoughts were afflicting him earlier, and Jack laughs at his disgust remembering the first time he tried the special curry.

“It’s an acquired taste.” The texture felt a bit grainy. “This is the best meal you are gonna get in miles!” 

Chase took another spoonful and then another.

“Mm,” He stuck his tongue out, it was pink and much longer than Jack expected it, and picked with his fingers a particular hard something. He inspects it closely before concluding “this is a rock, Jack. We are eating sand with dirty water and some flavoring, I assured you.”

“Sh.” Jack lifts his spoon, “Is called special curry cause it’s just special that we are eating as it is,” Jack puts his spoon down and fishes a small rock out, “and is an acquired taste. Your highness.”

Chase stares at nothing for a full minute before finishing his special curry, because it might have a higher amount of mineral than the average meal, but he was starving. 

At the end, the only conversation between them was the sound of their spoons searching for that last bit. 

Eventually, both have to accept that they eat all there is to eat.

“That was good.” Jack pulls his bed which wasn’t too far and places it on the same spot.

“I wouldn't go that far. That was a meal. A warm meal.” Chase likes the feeling of something warm in his stomach. 

“Do you feel sleepy?” Jack pulls his boots off and throws them to a corner of the room.

“No.” Chase lays down next to Jack since it was the only space available. 

“Not even a bit tired?” Jack turns surprised

“I’m very tired. I’m so tired.” Chase felt so tired he wondered how he was still alive, “I was trying to slow down my heartbeat by lowering my temperature to trick my body into sleeping.” 

“I hope it works,” Jack says before blowing the candle.

They lay in silence, both men think to themselves how nice a second meal would be.

“Jack,” Chase calls in the dark, his voice was closer than Jack expected him.

“Your highness?” Jack tries to turn and is hit by a cold scaly tail, he pushes it but it seems like Chase didn’t even register the touch.

“How long had you lived-” There was a better word than ‘here’ to encapsulate what Chase meant.

“Here?” Jack fills in, knowing already what Chase meant. “34 years, 35 soon.” Very soon.

“Why?” Chase asks, “Jack you are very smart,-”

“Chase,” The name felt strange in his mouth. It wasn’t a name when Jack said it, it was a request. Until now, Jack made sure to not use it, he didn’t want to get attached. 

“I’m sorry.” It was whispered in the dark and Jack felt tears building up. He inches closer searching for comfort. 

“No, it’s a good question.” Jack was surprised when his chest hit Chase’s side, but neither moved away. “Chase, don’t stay here.” Jack breathed thought silent tears. “Leave this place.” 

Chase never answers aloud, instead he curls his tail around Jack protecting him from the cold. He watches in the dark until Jack falls asleep. 

Chase doesn’t sleep.

The alarm doesn’t ring on the seven days, since everyone sleeps a bit longer, enjoying the absence of the sun as long as they can.

Those precious six hours and forty-three minutes.

In their sleep, no one left the night extended to seven hours and fifty-eight minutes.

Only the watch on the wall could tell the difference.

The sunrise came a bit later, and people hurry to collect the morning dew, surprised that everyone appears to be a bit early. 

Jack stayed in bed, happy with the water he got. Then an odd thought crossed his head.

“How did Guppy know I wasn’t at home? How was she the first one to declare me dead.”

“What?” Chase asks by the watch, waiting for the ring.

“Nothing,” Jack rubs the sleep off his face. Last night was a bit intense, but a night of sleep was all he needed. “How did you sleep?” 

“I didn’t.” Chase moves from the watch and closer to the crack in the wall. It just occurred to him that it has been a long time since he saw the sunrise. 

Jack looks at the naga and stands to open the door.

“Your highness,” Jack does an overly dramatic bow and he is surprised when he hears a burst of rich laughter. Chase's laughter was deep and imposing, taking over the whole room demanding attention but Jack could see the tears that fight for a place in the king’s heart.

“Jack,” Chase says as he slithers by the door frame, “please call me Chase. I’m no longer a king,” there was strength in his words, “yet, I’m still Chase Young.” He says like it was a higher title than a king. Chase turns to look at the sunrise and he lets himself enjoy it. “But thank you, Jack,” there were many things Chase had to thank Jack for, “for playing along.” 

Jack stares at the sunrise. He has hated the heat it brings for so long, that Jack stopped enjoying its beauty. 

“My pleasure, Chase.” The light that paints the sand golden was something special.

The beauty of the sun didn’t last.

Twenty minutes into the morning and it was hot.

An hour in and Jack was bathing in his own sweat.

Worst, Jack has done all his necessities. So there was nothing to do, Chase was content reading a book, occupating all the floor and a table.

Jack was literally stepping and tripping over him.

“I’m going to the market!” Jack says and looks for his pouch of coins. He then remembers how two days ago use his savings for supplies to leave the desert, and then paid to fucking Vlad for water. Actually Jack has to get extra water. “I don’t have any money.” Jack paced back and forth looking for something to trade, but nothing was even worth taking. He considers maybe staying and reading with Chase, “What are you reading?” Jack asks and Chase turns the book for Jack to read the title. “You can read Tlincalli?” Jack would love to practice with someone who wasn’t trying to seduce him and kill him every other turn. 

“No, I’m trying to learn.”

“Why? It’s a dead language.” 

“Really?” Chase looks at the book, wondering how old the information is?

“And that is pretty much a porno so don’t repeat what you read.” 

“Okay, I wasted three days trying to decipher a porno, and now I’m too self-conscious to practice what I have learned.” 

Jack chuckles to that. At least Chase was funny.

When Jack first met him.

When they first talk.

This morning was nice. 

“I’m restless,” Jack says collapsing on the floor, which was now Chase’s tail. Jack has accepted that’s his life now and moved on.

“Oh?” Chase searches for a book to read 

“Everything I know is here.” Jack confessed, “And you will go without me.” It wasn’t a question, but Chase answered it anyway.

“Yes,” It was funny how much that hurt. They had known each other for a week now, and half of it was spent crawling out of the desert. “But the travels will be much more enjoyable if you come.”

“I won’t be as useful outside and I was not meant to live in other places.”

“I’m not going to fight you, Jack. I’ll ask you to come. But I can’t do anything if you want to stay” 

Jack nods but he doesn’t answer.

He looks at his home, thinks of his routine, and his possible future. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t hate it either.

They sat in awkward silence for half an hour. Chase pretends to read a book, and Jack cries while reconsidering all his life choices.

Then they hear the loud voices outside. Jack’s house was at the very edge of the town, so for them to hear something it had to be very loud. 

“What is that?” Chase asks but Jack is already running out of the door. “Jack?” 

There is a single event that is loud enough to reach Jack’s house, a trial.

Jack didn’t know how he knew, but he knew that something terrible was about to happen, he felt hands on him and saw Chase lifting him. He points toward the center of the town and Chase hurries. They reach the center where all sorts of creatures scream over others. Chase being one of the biggest creatures around could easily push others away giving Jack space into the front row to see Guppy kneeling on the floor. His heart sank. 

He  hates this godless town.

“Guppy!” Jack jumps towards her but Chase holds him back. The woman didn’t react.

“Quiet! Quiet! Everyone quiet!” But no one will let him talk. People love Guppy, and no one wants to know why she was on her knees. Because once they do, they will leave her. 

A scream loud and high rips from Guppy’s mouth and stops all other voices. They all turn to look at her, but she remains silent. The Chef reads her crimes. 

“Guppy here has been found stealing food and water!” 

This happened every so often, some didn’t make it to the ends' needs and steal. Stealing is not a real crime until someone gets caught. But water is one thing you don’t share or steal. 

Guppy was alone. 

Just like no one searched for Jack when he was stranded in the desert, or helped lamias when they were displaced by Vlad or gave Guppy water when she ran out. 

“Guppy has no means of returning or paying back what she stole, so we will take her home and use it to fortify the tavern. The tavern will be used as a refuge if a sandstorm hits.” It might sound light but it was a death sentence. “Anyone will take Guppy until she regains her footing.” 

Jack felt that the sand was swallowing him as not a single soul stood to offer to play for what it was stolen. The elf wanted to do something, but then how will he survive. 

Guppy was his friend, but also she was a cruel reminder; bonds on this place mean nothing.

He hates that. 

Jack should know better by now to get attached to people. 

Chase looks curiously at Jack. He could practically feel the anger and frustration coming from his little savior. So, Chase lifts his hand and the town people turn to see him.

“If I might speak.” People suddenly step away from Chase, including Jack because he wasn’t sure what was going to happen. 

“Who are you?” The Chef asks.

“First, how much water would that be?” Chase asks and the Chef seems a bit unsure how to respond. So Chase moved closer, he wasn’t the biggest creature but he was definitely terrifying. “Guppy,” Chase towers over her, and Jack hurries to step between them. Guppy cries scared of the stranger.

She was pretty, but her round face, big eyes, and voluptuous body were second to her scaring. She was missing a horn, a big painful-looking hole just below her hairline where her horn used to be, it was where all new stares land. 

“Guppy” Jack calls and her big black eyes filled with more tears. 

“I’m so sorry Jack but I knew you were gone and went to your house. It’s much better than mine, it kept the sun out and then I saw the canteen under the table.” She takes a few uneven breaths and the town moves closer. 

“Was it just a sip?” Pretty asks, and Guppy shakes her head. 

“She confessed to doing this for a year. She isn’t crying cause she is sorry, she is crying cause she got caught.” 

“I took so little, a small sip every day-”

“I just returned from getting water, I will give some in her name,” Chase says and everyone turns to look at the strange new generous man, Jack stares more than anyone. He couldn’t decide for Jack, but he could put a bit of pressure on him. Make leaving the most practical choice. 

“If you are willing to pay in her name, then I don’t see why to have a trial at all.” 

“No, I’m not paying for all of it, just enough to buy her time.” People nod and Guppy nods with them before understanding that she can keep her home. 

Guppy jumps to sing ‘thank you’s’ to her savior. 

Everyone rushed to talk to Chase, ask where he came from or why? Thank him for saving Guppy. To explain why no one else could have done it. 

People were impossible to deal with and only left once Chef said he needed it to collect what Chase offered. 

No-name takes Guppy home with her. And people return to their respective lives. 

Pretty volunteers to help carry the water. He looks at Chase and gives Jack a knowing look. The Chef talks to Chase asking him to join them for dinner or maybe a drink. 

Jack and Pretty fall behind. 

“Is that the naga king?” Pretty asks 

“No, that’s King,” Jack says it's a title.

Pretty stares at Jack and then at the naga.

“Oh, my bad.” He says with a smile. “Jack will you be okay?” 

“Yeah,” Jack answers too quickly. He didn’t know yet if he would be okay after donating so much water. The naga could reach the well in a day, but Jack ran off of money yesterday. 

The men don’t say anything else at the two sharing a home, simply taking a month's worth of water. Chef makes sure to invite them for dinner, even offer one free meal, after Jack returns all the dishes to the kitchen. 

They leave with the water they spent all day yesterday getting. 

The sun is still up but a whole day has passed.

“How much water do we have now?” Chase asks and Jack counts their canteens. 

“Two weeks and a few days, more if we don’t shower. But we will need to go get more water before that.” Jack says surprisingly calm. He doesn’t have any more money or books to trade, and his ass might be literally on the table for this one. But Jack is happy that Guppy will survive for now.

“Let's leave before that.” Chase says and Jack blinks at that, “You said that there is water at the Oasis, so we won’t need to get more water. What do you think?” 

Jack blinks in surprise cause he already knows the answer. He was so unsure just a few hours ago but after that. After seeing that Jack remembers that he hates it here. 

“The Oasis is further away. It’s on the way out. You go to the Oasis as a stop on the way out.”

“That sounds to me like more reasons to leave. Or are you waiting for something Jack?”

Jack nods processing those words. 

He collected the loot he came from, he has water and food, and his companion is the fastest creature Jack has encountered. And, Jack hates the desert.

“Let's plan for a week, and travel with plenty of water.” 

“What will we need?” Chase asks looking at the overfill cabin.

“I think what we won’t need might be a better place to start” Jack feels a new excitement for his future. He picks book after book and puts them on a table. “I’m taking all that stuff to the market tomorrow to sell.” Empty bottles and boxes, blueprints were ripped from the walls, and maps were filtered for usefulness. Chase helped reach for high places and move heavy metal parts out of the house. 

The pair didn’t sleep. 

They have too much energy. They worked all night to make piles of things they could sell. 

And when they were done they sat in front of the watch waiting for it to ring. 

Jack looks at his thing and all he can easily part with.

He hums happily at his progress and Chase listens quietly. They stay like that for a few minutes while most sleep. 

The watch rings and the day begins. 

At the home of No-name, the forest elf, in a corner where shade was ever-present, a small weed grew.

The market was settling up and every vendor invited them to come closer. Jack says hi and offers his own goods instead. Chase follows not far behind carrying all their items with his powerful tail. 

Vendor after vendor explains that they don’t have much money, but Jack insists that he will take any offer. 

Soon they sold everything and more, selling Jack’s wardrobe, tables, and shelves. 

Chase was in charge of the delivery and Jack on packing what they will be taking. 

The sun was up, but very few people were out, Jack told him that it was resting time again. 

That didn’t stop Chase from knocking and making sure everyone received their purchased items. He delivered the last and biggest piece of furniture, the wardrobe, and received a single gold coin. 

The naga returns home looking at the reminders of his single on the coin. He didn’t know the priced value of things, but one gold coin for a wardrobe seems absurd. 

“Chase?” The name surprised him after all only Jack has called him by it since he woke up, maybe he should have given a fake one. 

He turns to find a tiefling carrying a medium size pouch.

“Good evening,” Chase looks at the pitiful thing holding a bag that had been buried deep in the ground. He didn’t ask how she knew his name.“Are you going somewhere, Guppy?”

“Me, oh no, I can’t. I came to say thank you!” She lifts her head and Chase can see the tear stains still fresh in her face. “You saved my life.” 

“I accept your thanks. But you are far from safe, I imagine your life quality must be compromised.” Chase curls on himself to prop himself up more comfortably. Guppy looks young and healthy, but he can smell something odd with her body, something not working just right. It won’t kill her but it must complicate things.

“Yeah,” she lets out a soft laugh, but even her softest laugh is loud and contagious. “I’m now the most untrustworthy citizen in this sandcastle. But that isn’t what I want to talk about.” She takes a single step closer, it did little to shorten the space between then, but it was deliberate and calculated.

“Why did you save me?” 

“Does it really matter?” 

“Yes, it does. You see, nothing is free and as thankful as I’m. I worry, what is it gonna cost me? Are you gonna come one day and force me to pay? I don’t want to seem ungrateful but,” She black eyes harden as she offers her leather bag. “I’m paying today.”

Chase takes it and looks at her one moment longer, and nods.

“I accept your payment.”

“Aren’t you gonna-”

“You paid what you believe your life is worth, who am I to question it?”

Guppy blinks, completely blown by the response.

“You are cool.” She declares, blushes and bit and barks a loud laugh. “Gosh, I’m a bit smitten. Like what are you doing here?”

Chase smiles at her when she laughs she looks much younger than she actually is. Years she skipped.

“I could ask the same thing.” He says and without losing the smile from her face Guppy elaborates.

“I got here three years ago, just looking for a nice hiding spot. And you can’t do much better than here.” 

“I got here, as in the town, four days ago.” 

“Oh, you are the new baby. Ask your Baby II if you are staying” She says and signs, aware that big powerful creatures like Chase don’t need the same help. “Anyways. When are you leaving?” 

Chase stares at her and she explains.

“All newbies try to leave. I have my fair share of attempts myself. You packed your things, you carried as much riches out of here as you can, you sell everything except your house. Cause halfway through, you will understand that you are not strong enough to leave, yet. So you return to your house with your tail between your legs and wait until you are hopeful enough to try again.”

“Any advice?” Chase listens carefully as she speaks of experience.

“Bring more food and water than you think you need, it’ll be a much longer trip than your eyes tell you. And travel light. Pack everything you can carry comfortably for five days and take only half. Once you have made it past day three, you will feel as the sand is pulling you, it’s not. Lastly, make sure to have plenty of sleep, since you won’t be able to sleep on the trip.” 

“Thank you,” Chase says and returns the bag. Guppy stares at it in confusion.

“How many trips did it take you to figure that out? I take the advice over whatever in this bag”

“It’s jewels,” Guppy says.

“Something that can save my life and get me out of this deadland is much more valuable.” The two share a last nod before parting ways.

Chase returns to Jack and gives him the five gold coins he collected. 

The elf happily adds them to their humble pile.

“Six plus five, eleven. Not bad.” Jack says and continues sewing the fabric of old tunics. He picks the three bags Jack packed and declares them light enough, barely something. 

“Jack, could you get on my back for a moment?” 

“Mm,” Jack sews the last end of the fabric to finish his umbrella. “Say again?” 

“I’m trying to see how heavy we will travel.” 

Jack stares at Chase questioning something, and then he moves to pick a heavy metal rob. 

“We are gonna need more than elven coins to travel. The Oasis is cheaper than the well but it's still pricey Or so I heard. And we are gonna need to stay there for a few days and get more supplies before leaving again.” Jack points at a floorboard and considers everything before lifting the rod and breaking the board. He pries it up exposing large fabric bags. “Thankfully I have been saving every jewel I find for this day.” 

Chase peaks over and sees all the precious gems, they were worth a fortune. He kneels down and picks a single fire opal. “This is the biggest butter up salmon the city of light can offer, and” Jack picked a few more from the bag, “a whole new wardrobe, silk, and fur like royalty. I'm gonna look so good, I'm gonna get invited to noble balls!” Jack squeals, and cups with both hands as many jewels as he can. “And these, this is a land to build my own laboratory. I’m gonna study science and create my own creatures. I'm gonna have the best library with stained glass murals of me. If you deliver me out of here, I might get you one too.” Jack says feeling giggly. After so much work, and so long he will get to live his dreams. 

“Now why even carry coins when we have these jewels.” He picks an emerald and smiles at its glow. It reminds him of a life that was stolen from him.

“The coins stay, just in case.” Jack tries to pull a bag and Chase helps him. They pulled four. 

“In case of what?” 

“25 years of scavenging worth of jewels.” Jack looks at this hard work and feels a combination of pride and shame. “With these we will pave an easy path for us. Best inns, best clothes, and the best meals!” 

“Maybe we can keep some.” Chase mused to himself thinking how pretty would some emerald look on him.

He picks all the bags and holds them for a minute. He could carry them for days, he remembers Guppy’s words, but he was much larger than her. 

“In case of what?” Chase repeats.

“In case, things don’t go according to plan, in case we have to come back.” Jack moves to secure the bags of jewels and counts how many bags they have. Seven, seven bags were a good number, plus food and water will disappear making their luggage lighter. 

“How many times have you come back?” Chase looks at the coins in the table. 

“Enough to not go without a fall back plan” Jack covers the hole in the floor and drags some of the bags to the corner of the room. 

“Jack, I won’t come back.” 

“Then it would be more for me,” Jack says after a long breath. He counts his bowls, and recalculates how much water they will need, is he accounting enough for the evaporation of the water.

“No.” Chase stops Jack from moving by turning him with his tail. “Jack, you said you are coming with me.”

“And I am!” Jack insists and puts his hand over the strong tail that keeps him in place, “But I’m not dying trying to cross this desert.” 

“Jack, how long is the Oasis?” 

“A week,”

“We travel that distance in four days with little food, no water and without knowing each other. Believe that we will reach our destination, believe it more than you have ever because I don’t want to leave you behind.” Chase likes Jack, but more importantly, Jack is his only ally.

Jack lets himself sink in the sweet words, and a smile creeps out as he pushes the tail away.

“You really are asking me to risk it all just cause you didn't want to travel alone, eh?” 

“Yes,” Chase says, confident of his own charms even in his dire situation.

“You must have been a very dangerous man back in your day.” Jack goes back to pull a few tunics and begins to work on their second parasol. 

“I am. I admit that I have fallen from grace, but I’ll carve myself a new throne. I just have some things to do first.” 

“Mm,” Jack smiles and returns to work. 

The naga sits next to him to help however he can.

The work past resting time, but Jack insists on sleeping or at least trying.

Chase works in his knotting while Jack sleeps. Once Jack wakes up they use the rest of the morning to get ready and minimize their luggage from seven bags to five. 

They lay down trying to rest their muscles as much as they can before leaving.

They repeat their little routine sharing snips of themselves when boredom became too much. 

Jack told him that he was expelled from a school his parents paid to be let in.

Chase told him that he was in his bathroom when he was killed and that Jack found him in his bath. 

Then both talk about things they missed, the never-ending lists kept going until the sun finally descends. Clouds, grass, birds, rain, wine, cake, fruit….

Chase noticed that the moon elf left something he expected him to list out.

“Lets go.”

Jack helps Chase tie all the bags, and then they go to the tavern to say goodbye and check their promised free meal.

The stop at the tavern is short, people said goodbye but there is an odd expectation that they will be back. 

Guppy sneaks them a second free bowl of curry specialty and whispers ‘good luck’ to the pair.

They leave as soon as the sun is out of sight.

The trick was to leave at night. 

Jack mounts the naga who immediately moves, he hears Jack talk in the silent night.

“The trick was to leave at night.” His voice is the only sound in the desert. 

“The sun of the Calidi-Issimo desert sets once a week, and when the night comes, it brings a freezing fog that lasts until sunrise. It’s best to travel in a group, move fast, choose a known path.” 

“Is that your guide voice?”

“Here is my guide's advice, ‘once the sunlight hits the ground, the thin ice layer over the sand evaporates into sizzling vapor, then dig for a day. Under the sand, there are precious jewels, small and countless. Every moment must be well used, as every moment the temperature rises, and the glare of the sun becomes blinding. Sweat drips like water, there is no saliva left to swallow, just swollen heavy tongues begging for water, water that is too hot to drink, and the sun stays perfectly still like time is frozen. Don’t wait longer than you can before turning back.” Jack stops as they move forward in record time but he can’t allow himself to be hopeful yet. “There are more corpses traveling out of the desert than in, too greedy to leave on time or sacrifice their loot.” 

“Creepy,” Chase says unbothered by the dramatic warming. “How far did you make it last time?”

“Traveled all night on horseback, made it to lamia's territory in the morning and lost everything in a sandstorm after three days,” Jack says and Chase tries to hurry.

“Let’s skip the lamia gang,” He says and continues to advance.

They travel with rest all night, every so often looking at the stars to confirm they are still on the right path.

And by morning they made it into lamia’s territory. Large rocks and skeletons pepper the sand under them. The biggest concentration of bones was clustered around a large rock, big enough to look like a small.

Chase turned back to confirm that the town was behind them, he saw a distance he should be able to cover in three to four hours, but it took him all night. 

“Don’t look back.” Jack pulls him to face their traveling direction almost roughly. “The light here plays tricks on your mind, it’s hard to tell how far or close something is.” 

“I haven’t had that problem before” Large rocks and skeletons pepper the sand under them. 

“There is usually no trouble when coming into the Calidi-Issimo desert, the deliriums had been mostly reported in the back out.” They advance carefully until the many eyes that follow them finally decide to make themselves known. 

“Jack.”

“Moon elf”

“Jack” They call in an eerie choir.

“Moonbean.” The nickname annoys Chase.

“Is there something to actually be said?” The naga stops but makes sure not to turn. The lamias make use of this by staying mostly behind him and talking.

“So grumpy?”

“And rude.” 

“And ugly,” a lamia finally goes in front of them and soon many follow. 

Chase wasn’t sure how many were there, he has counted fourteen different voices so far, and he knows there are ten more hiding in the back. But, actually seeing them was a shock. Chase has met lamias before, and he would agree that they are very similar in appearance to nagas. The biggest difference being size, nagas are bigger. However, these lamias were tiny. Their human-half were skinny and starve, and their tails short with dull colors. So far, the biggest lamia in the gang wasn’t even a third Chase’s size.

Whatever Chase was going to say to them died in his throat. He didn’t need to say anything they already knew. He gave them a smug smile and half of the gang went wild.

“Shut up!”

“Shut up ugly mutt”

“Wanna fight mutants!” They all very loudly scream their insults. From a safe distance.

“We are just gonna pass by if you all don't mind.” Chase could barely keep his laugh out of his sentence, this was the lamia and he kept hearing about. 

“No!” The leader moves in front and makes a big show of all the jewels necklaces she wears. “Gotta pay the fee first.”

“Really?” Chase was a bit surprised by their gumption.

“Two fees” The leader specifies. 

“How much?” Jack asks while untying a bag of jewels and pulling a fist-worth out.

The leader smiles as she moves closer.

“Wait.” It wasn’t direct to the leader but she backed away. “Jack, are you really going to pay them? They are babies.” 

“We are fully grown lamias”

“Have some respect!”

“It's hard growing up in the desert!”

“Yeah,” Jack ignores the others, “if something goes wrong, and one of them finds us they will drag our bodies back to the town. Don't pay them and they will take you to the graveyard instead.” 

“How are they dragging me back?” Chase crosses his arms but he can’t tell Jack how to waste his jewels. But he felt a bit bad to have some of the jewels Jack spend so long collecting wasted in a weak lamia gang. 

“Double pay for the big snake!”

“Double pay!”   
“Triple pay!”

“I'm gonna pay extra.” Jack signs the leader to come closer, she stays in place until Jack signals her again. “Here,” the lamia cups her hands to catch the jewels by looking at Chase from the corner of her eye. She was so skinny, Chase could snap her neck by accident. 

“More,” She says and Jack groans but gives her a few more gems. She nods and sliders away. Only once she has distance herself she talks again. “Good luck but that big body of your means nothing on this land.”

The group then scatters.

Chase and Jack stay in silence before laughing to themselves. 

“You could have warmed me,” Chase says as they move forward.

“I kinda forgot how small they are.” Jack pulls a parasol and makes sure it covers both of them. The shade was cooling and made the trip look less threatening.

“They were so tiny! And now I understand why everyone seems so surprised with my size.” Chase adds, “Those were the smallest lamias I have ever seen.”

“Sh!” Jack laughs and he feels his body lulls with the rhythmic movement of the naga over the sand. “They are sensitive about that.” 

“I could tell,” Chase says and Jack laughs again.

They travel in with light conversions spread through two days.

Jack takes small naps between the second and the third day while Chase advances without a break. Their conversations became shorter and less common.

The parasol that Jack propped to give them a bit of shade was crooked, and Chase tried to fix it, but in a faulty attempt, it fell on the ground and rolled behind him. It was odd since there wasn’t any wind. He turned for a second, to pick up the umbrella, and as he reached he saw the lamia’s territory, not even an hour away.

“Jack!” Chase felt his stomach twist and Jack jerks away. The elf immediately puts his goggles on and points the right direction to his ride.

“Told you not to turn!” 

Chase was still looking, but this time at the umbrella that appears rolling far behind them. Like it was being dragged back. 

“Yes.” Chase turns and looks at the sand. There were no plants or rocks, all the sand looked exactly the same. The only proof he has that they are actually moving is Jack telling him they are.”Maybe we should stop to eat.” Chase says feeling tired and overheated.

“No yet.” Jack damps a rag and passes it to Chase so he could clean his face and put it over his head. “We should encounter the sandstorm in fifteen minutes. You will puke if you eat before it, or during it.” 

“How do you know?” Chase felt breathless.

“Experience.” Jack pulls the bottled up magic. “I’ll use as many spells as I need to get us across, the Oasis is on the other side.” Jack pulls a scarf for Chase and covers his mouth and nose.

Like clockwork, the wind picks up and the sand shifts under them. 

Like a tide in the ocean, Chase felt the air around them being sucked like a vacuum, and he could see the beginning of the storm. 

“ _ Aer Bulla _ ” Jack screams and a dim light forms a bubble where no sand is disrupted. The moon elf keeps his hand extended and he feels his fingers tremble under the pressure of the wind. Without a moment to lose, Chase pushes himself but his body sinks in the sand and the constant struggle has taken a toll on him. 

The shield around them becomes nothing, and violent wind drags the pair. The naga drops to the ground to avoid being blown away.

“ _ Aer Bulla _ ” Jack repeats but it's a temporary solution to a growing problem. The elf secures his goggles and turns back for a second. They haven't advanced at all, even with Chase’s strength and speed, they won’t be able to cross the desert. Jack knew this was a possibility.

Chase continues to advance as the sand almost pulls him in place, to Jack it was as inspiring as it was futile. The air around them was hot and it hurt to breathe it. 

“ _ Aer Bulla _ ” The light in their magical shield brightens for an amount before dimming again. “It’s 23 miles,” Jack says, forcing himself to sound hopeful, “ _ Aer Bulla _ ” That was the fourth spell, he only has six left. “Only 23 miles.” 

Chase sinks deeper into the sand and Jack feels his knees drag. The sand was scaling and he felt it creep through his scales and into his muscles. 

“We must go back,” The elf finally declares and prepares to cast another spell.

“Don’t” Chase claws his way out of the sand adamant to get out of that desert. He refuses to stay any longer in the land that held him captive. “I’ll leave today. Think of something Jack!” It was the first time that Chase screamed, it was almost as loud as the sandstorms that threatened to break their weakening shield. 

Jack doesn’t think, he jumps off hoping that it will lessen the weight if it made a difference it was impossible to tell. The elf pushes forward next to Chase to help him move, it didn’t do a thing. The light of their shield was disappearing and Jack knew that they wouldn't last long.

“Curl close, small,” Jack calls a greater amount of magic while Chase follows without time for a second though. “ _ Etiam in Aeri Apeculum Bulla, _ ” The spell was powerful and heavy, Chase felt its weight pushing down and forcing them deeper into the sand until they were underground. A glass dome prevented the sand from burning them alive and suffocating them, much like the light shield, it was temporary.

The heat in the sand irritated their skins and burnt slowly and high like an over.

“ _ Sidus lunam aer quasi aerem _ ,” The second spell was softer, like a well-known friend whose name rolls off your tongue, Jack hasn’t called it in so long. Jack’s skin lightly glows and fresh air fills the space between them. 

Moon magic. 

Chase assumed that Jack couldn’t summon it at all. 

“How much magic you have left.” 

“Enough for four more spells.” Jack could see the sweat in the naga’s body and was tired in his words. “Let's drink some water before this wears off.” Jack pulls two canteens, Chase drinks eagerly and without control, even after Jack puts his hand on the other’s to tell him to stop.

“I think I forgot what water tastes like,” Chase says after finishing his water. He looks above them and wonders how long they have before they will have to return to that inferno. 

“We have barely moved.” Jack says and gives Chase the weakest of smiles, “and you are tired.” 

Chase couldn’t deny that. 

“How long will the spell last?”

“A few hours.” 

Chase was so relieved, he was so tired. He hasn’t been this tired since-

“This land is cursed.”

“Yeah. It’s a deathtrap in every day, but when you plan to leave then it’s a fucking death sentence.” Jack breaths out. 

“Jack, the advice you give your clients. Do you follow it?”

“Of course,” Jack says exasperated, “that’s why I’m going to go back. I’m going to go back and try another day.” The elf feels sadness and shame wash over him, and cries, wasting precious liquid from his body. He cups the naga’s face as his light dims, even more, he wishes to have a better night vision because he wants to see Chase one last time. “I really thought I would make it this time.” He smiled and his heart ached for the other. “Chase Young, naga king, it has been a pleasure.” Jack leans forward and plants a soft kiss at the corner of his companion’s mouth. Jack really believes that the naga will cross the desert or die trying. He pulls back and sees the disbelief look in Chase’s eyes. 

“No,” Chase says and pulls Jack before he could reach for the bottle and cast another spell. “No, Jack that’s stupid.”

“What? Stupid is keep going forward to obvious dead.”

“Obvious dead? Going back is obviously dead!” He hisses. “It took us four days to get here, can you do four more back? Actually, it would be more than four if you go on your own. But there is only 23 miles ahead. Both are risky, but I’ll call one more than the other a death sentence.” Chase hisses. 

Jack blinks at the information like he never considered it before. He stops to do some basic math.

“Ah. You are right.” He says like he wasn’t a guide with thirty-three years of experience. Then sudden realization that there was only one path to take hit Jack like lightning hits the sand. “You are right, and I’m going to die in this stupid desert.”

“No. You said so yourself, there are only a few miles left to travel.” Chase tries to push whatever panic has surfaced in Jack.

“In a fucking sandstorm!”

Almost to emphasis a point a thunder roars high above them.

The pair stare at each other in mutual startlement. 

“I heard that the longer you stay in the sandstorm, the worse it gets.” Jack clarifies.

The impossible of their situation dawn into them, and the more they thought about it the more ridiculous it felt.

They stare at each other in the dark and share hopeless low laughs.

“I have noticed how the heat is even more unbearable,” Chase says “And I’m a naga, I was born for this weather.”

“The silence was killing me,” Jack says with tears in his eyes.

“Yes! I was missing the sound of your voice.” Both found that very funny and laughed.

“I love my voice,” Jack agrees, “I hate how I can’t speak as much in the desert.” 

“I miss my scales,” Chase says instead, “they were so beautiful.”

“Oh,” Jack pats the brown dried skin in the tail, “You have a, a very, a powerful tail.” Chase doesn’t pay attention to the pause.

“Yes,” Chase takes pride in his prowess, “you might not know it, amount nagas, I’m the strongest warrior.”

“Mm, I can see that.” Jack nods, feeling a bit sorry for Chase. “I wish I got to see you.”

“Yet, this sand is a more intense challenge than any battle. It pulls me down like it’s trying to swallow me whole.” Chase shifts uncomfortable in their tiny space. “Even now I feel a strain in my tail.” 

Jack palms the tail appreciably and notices the ropes digging into Chase’s skin. His human skin was badly bruised, and there were deep indentations in his tail. 

“Chase!” Jack scurries to find a knife, “Did you feel the weight?” 

“No,” just like Jack couldn’t figure out the distance between one path or another, Chase couldn’t notice the increasing weight of his cargo.

Jack hesitates before cutting the rope. The bag of jewels falls open between them, spilling countless precious gems. He breathes hard before cutting another, and he stops before cutting the other two bags.

“How does it feel?” Jack asks and Chase touches the angry marks in his skin,

“Lighter.”

They look at each other before agreeing in their course of action.

“ _ Locus munimento _ ” Jack whispers and the sand above and around them disperse in a violent burst. Chase crawls out with Jack in his back ready to face the sandstorm once again. But it’s over. 

Strong winds blow in every direction but there is no sandstorm.

They don’t stop long enough to question it, they move.

They move faster than they have ever traveled, focusing on the silhouette of the Oasis.

It looks closer and closer.

“Hurry! We don’t know how long the storm will stop.” 

They continue but as the Oasis appears closer, the heavier Chase feels and soon he is sinking into the sand.

The rope pulls on his skin and the sand strips his scales raw until Chase is forced to stop.

“Jack,” The naga felt literally pinned down. “What is what you said to your clients?”

“Leave with plenty of time to make it back,” Jack says but he knows that wasn’t it. He takes out his knife and observes at the loot he spent almost three decades collecting “Don’t take more than you can carry.” He cuts the last two bags. The wind picks up and the jewels are immediately buried by the sand. 

They stare at the last spark before the desert takes it away.

“And that was everything I have,” Jack says and looks ahead trying to concentrate on the Oasis, it was close. 

“Jack,” Chase blinks a bit confused, “I still can’t move.” 

They stay there in silence under the burning sun until understanding dawn upon them.

“This is a Fucking scam!” Jack pulls from his pocket his last coins and throws them on the sand. “Nothing, I got fucking nothing!” 

Like magic, Chase felt lighter, but not less tired. 

But once again the naga didn’t move, he didn’t have to.

They stood there a few meters from the Oasis. 

The tall palm trees, bright green vegetation and the lake glistening by the edge of the desert. Nothing they could wish for was more beautiful.

Jack jumps off and runs to the water, soon outrun by Chase.

Both throw themselves to the water and drink greedily. 

The water was cool and sparkled under the sun. They dip their bodies and they laugh at the distorted image of their bodies under the water. Sand and dust in their skin wash the oasis water; days worth of travel, months of struggle and years of forced sleep disappear in seconds. 

Curious eyes look upon the pair almost fondly. 

Jack and Chase cup the water and drank and drank until they were finally satisfied. 

“Howdy travelers!” A shrill voice calls the elf and naga. “Enjoying the cold water.”

They noticed the crow looking at them long ago, but they were to focus on the water to address them.

A group of fourteen odd-looking lamias surrounds them. Like the lamias from the lamia gang, these guys were tiny. However, unlike the other lamias, their scales were a patchwork of light and deep browns blending perfectly in the sand. They were covered in long sharp spikes at any connection in their bodies, and large fan-like appendages in the side of their tails. When they flop open they have the appearance of rockfish. Chase has never seen anything like them. Most striking were the friendly smiles on their faces and lax body language.

“We have been watching you for days!” One says and claps her hands together. “Struggling in the desert, we didn’t think you were going to make it.” 

“Not me!” Another one moves closer but stays from a safe distance. Her long hair was decorated by bird skulls. “I was sure you guys were going to make it. And you did!”

“You saw us struggling,” Jack repeats.

“For days! The desert had it’s pull on you.” The not-lamia pulls out and the pair stare at the horizon to see trash city not even two days away.

“But you fought it strong!” A cheer runs by the group.

“How is that possible?” Chase

“I thought you guys were going to turn around,” Another not-lamia lays flat in the ground and props her head up. “So many almost make it, then turn around. It’s heartbreaking.”

“Heartbreaking.” Another one says.

“Excuse me,” Jack hides behind Chase, “Who are you?”

“I’m Lavina, Jack,”

“How do you know-”

“Your name? Our cousins from the lamia gang told us. You are easy to spot. I saw you come close to our oasis many times. I’m happy to see you made it sweetheart.” 

“Uh, mm. Thank you, Lavina.”

“And who is this?” Lavina points at Chase, “I have never seen a snake as big as you.”

“Or as pretty! Those scales!” Another one adds. 

Jack and Chase look under the water to see the deep green scales shine brighter than the jewels they left in the desert. Chase moves out of the water to see them in the light and circles twice to confirm that his gorgeous scales were back. 

“They are stunning,” A low whistle emphasizes that statement.

“Yes, they are.” Chase agrees with a low laugh.

Jack notices how none of the no-lamias move or even flinch at Chase moving closer to them. They all lazily on the sand with happy grins.

“Why don’t your cousins live here with you?” Jack asks while moving closer to Chase.

“We invite them, but they don’t care for a little piece of heaven we made here. They only care for the jewels.” Lavina rolls her eyes and smiles back at them. She moves towards a patch of trees and plucks a ripe fruit. “Food?” She toasts it up to the elf who almost falls backward trying to catch it. Chase catches the fruit without any trouble.

Both look at their plums suspiciously.

“But eat boys!”

“You must be famished.” 

“After you?” Chase says but Jack stares at the plum with his mouth-watering.

“Oh. We don’t eat fruit, baby.” Another one says from behind, they were fifteen.

“Then why grow it?” Chase looks at the nicely trimmed and cared trees.

“It’s a nice pass time,” Lavina tries, “and, well, it works great as bait.” 

“So, they are normal plums?” 

A single nod was enough for Jack to sink his teeth into the fruit and moan loudly. 

“And what do you eat?” Chase says eyeing the juice that drips from Jack’s fingers hungrily. 

“A variety of things, but mostly beetles.” 

That was all Chase needed it to know and eat his plum before Jack could steal it. Of course, the moon elf was still trying to climb the naga and negotiate for a bite. 

“Boys don’t fight,” Another no-lamia says and carries a few plums to them. She drops them near the edge of the water to clean them but their guests were on them before she could. “There is plenty.”

The group waits until the couple’s finish their small feast.They stay away from the water and pass time by chewing on sand and spitting out rocks. They braid their hair and make rock piles.

Chase and Jack look at the group and them at each other. 

They whisper what to do. They wait for Lavina or any other member of the group to address them, but that noticed that won’t happen. They move out of the water under the shade and Jack pulls all their belongings out to dry. He notices an aloe vera plant and before he could cut it he turns to ask.

“Lavina?”

“Mm, oh goodie, you guys are settled.” She looks at the small camp their travelers set. 

“Is that okay?” Jack asks, incredulous that someone is willing to share all their resources with complete strangers.

“Well, for now. We might see later but you guys need to stay and rest a week at least.” 

“That’s very generous of you,” Chase says sharing his suspicion with Jack.

“Gee, I want to say thanks but not really. You see, we are happy to sip water every other week, and the fruit and leaves are just too damp for our taste.”

“It makes it sick.” Someone adds.

“So as long as you guys don’t scare the beetles away, we really are not losing anything. Even more, we are gaining your company. I love my gals but it’s so nice to see a new face every once in a year.” She says and the group nods. “But we know we are a stop along the way more than a destination, so we won’t press you guys.”

“Our Oasis is your shelter.” Another one adds.

The no-lamias were the friendliest creature the pair had encountered in the desert. They all come closer and talk a bit. They drew them a map, shared their plants, food, and water, and the only thing they asked in return was to be entertained by stories.

“Tomorrow though, with a trip like that you must be tired to the bone. Please let us take you to our inn.”

Their inn was the same spot Jack and Chase set camp but with a parasol (theirs) open to provide them shade. 

“Thanks,” Jack says, laying down and curling into a small ball. Chase curls around him to take advantage of the shade.

“Sleep, I’ll keep guard,” Chase says and Jack nods into a deep sleep in seconds.

Jack cries in his dreams and Chase counts how many of the no-lamias are there. There are a total of fifteen healthy members surrounding the Oasis, all smelling of fresh poison. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, guess who is my self insert?


	3. The price of gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase and Jack enjoy a week at the Oasis and then hit the road again.  
> The pair has to hustle for some money and share some more information with each other.   
> Chase gets a hair cut and stab.  
> Jack learns new magic.

Chapter 3

** The Price of Gold  **

While Jack sleeps, Chase investigates.

He learns that the group didn’t have a name or were unaware of their name. They were in the process of choosing one. Currently, the group's favorite was Sand-roses, no one has seen a rose, but they hear they were neat. However, people called them sandfishes due to their flaps and spines having the appearance of fins. 

Chase called them Misses Roses, and a wave of giggles answered back. He didn’t do it again. 

They confess to having killed before, but only out of self-defense or to defend their Oasis. They explained how they made the Oasis by digging a big hole and sealing the surface with rocks, traveling far for seeds to plant, and care for the growing vegetation. They told Chase that they were poisonous but not venomous. Meaning their only way to poison someone is by feeding them their flesh, a suitable defense mechanism.

They let him know that they were not scared of a naga.

Overall, the sand fishes were a friendly bunch that won’t be pushed around.

Jack wakes up to find his side empty and nearly screams in desperation.

“Chase?!” 

“Jack,” Chase says from the water, and a couple of the sandfishes near him say hi, “so loud so early.”

“Sorry, I just.” Jack wasn’t sure what to say. “I just didn’t want to be stranded here alone.” Saying ‘I didn’t want to lose you too,’ felt too intimate.

The stress from the elf was choking, and emotional creatures like the sandfishes felt it. 

“I told you we will travel together. Now come to the water.”

“Actually,” a sandfish interrupts, “do you guys want to play spa?” 

Chase looks at the woman suggesting to play make-belief, but the other fishes were clapping with enthusiasm. 

“Play spa?” Chase cuffs, and Jack jumps to pull him out of the water.

“Sounds fun, how do we play?” Jack smiles and then whispers in Chase's ear, “These are our hosts, be nice.” 

Chase rolls his eyes but agrees it would be the cordial thing to do.

“What a delightful way to pass the time.” He oversells it and gets a little glare from Jack.

All the fishes rush to claim a pile of rock that will represent a salon. The five winners fix their respective chairs by adding leaves and more rocks, before calling for customers. 

No one moves, letting Jack and Chase take the first pick. 

Jack goes with Lavina and another fish.

Chase goes with a fish he spoke before, Lorna and her lover Martina.

The pair happily signs the pile of rocks, and Chase takes his seat.

“Welcome to the Oasis Lorna and Martina’s spa!” 

“I’m sitting on a pile of rocks.”

“Would a leaf make it more comfortable?” Matina asks.

“No, it wouldn’t.”

The pair find it hilarious and take a moment to laugh. 

“I guess you haven’t played before,” Martina says, and fans Chase lightly with her palm leaf.

“No, I can’t say I have,” Chase says good-naturedly.

“It might feel a bit odd at first, but there's much to do here. And this is a fun way to pass the time.” Lorna retrieves a wooden jar with a freshly squeezed aloe vera balm. She shows Chase before applying some to his face. She has to reach up even as Chase is sitting. He didn’t appreciate her touch, but it was worth it to feel the refreshing balm soothe his skin. 

“Ah, what has the sun done to you?” Martina says as she steps to look at Chase's hair. “I’ll have you fix in no time,” she offers Chase a balm made out of palm, plum, coconut, oil and plum essence, soap. 

“Sounds lovely.” He answers, and the pair of fishes look at each other. 

“You are very comfortable with this.”

“Most people get all jumpy,” Matina says, and a loud squeal calls their attention. Jack was running from his chair with Lavina following him with a towel. “Desert folk are not used to fancy city treatments like a spa.”

“They are gonna get awful reviews,” Lorna adds as she massages the balm into Chase’s face. 

Chase laughs a bit and thinks of reminding Jack to behave. 

“I can see how many would find it stressful being touched by such a pointy creature, and I mean no offense. And the frivolous use of resources.”

“I do take offense to that!” Lorna snaps an old spine and uses it as a nail filer. “We are sweeter than dates during summer.”

“But yeah, people would say a spa is a waste of stuff, but we have plenty. And it feels good to look good. I'm gonna get more soap, stay still.” Martina goes.

Lorna adds a bit of bee wax over every nail and polishes it between her fingers. She looks at her work and smiles. 

“Look at that!” 

Chase looks at his claws and nods approvingly. 

“I was very skeptical about this, but this is nice work,” Chase says, and Martina returns to work on his hair.

“Worry not, you chose the best salon in the whole Oasis.” Chase turns to look for Jack to see that he has been coaxed to return to his chair. There were four fishes ready in case he tries to run again.

“Honey, did you strip your hair of its color?” Martina asks, and Chase feels his stomach knot.

“No.” 

“Oh, what did you do?”

“Is it that bad?” Chase already knew the answer.

“Yes. Oh, yes, in all my years of experience, I avoided saying this as much as I can, but we gotta cut it.”

Chase stands up and feels his mouth dried

“Baby is there any other way.”

“This is a hard thing to hear. Go to the water and wash the balm off. You can judge it yourself.” 

Chase doesn’t bother with manners, he leaves and goes as he is told. 

The water washes away the soap and the sand, and for the first time in centuries, his hair is clean. The color was sun-bleach from a deep black to a medium brown. 

He doesn’t bother going back to his salon, he goes to Jack.

Jack was held down by four fishes as a fifth one exfoliated Jack’s foot. 

Chase looks at his companion situation and then ignores it.

“I received terrible news, Jack.”

“Chase, please help me.”

“Martina says that I should cut my hair, and I think she is right.”

Jack screams like someone was stabbing him. 

“No one here has feet, you are doing it wrong.”

“No baby, Jack, it’s almost done.” Lavina says and nods to her friend, “and it's done.”

Jack kicks his legs free, and the fishes step away.

“That was awful! I'm gonna write you the worst review you ever have and drive your business to the ground!” He takes a few breaths and then looks at Chase.

“Are you gonna cut your hair? It might be best for traveling.” 

“That doesn't matter.” Chase says, “I’m a naga Jack, what it says if I have short hair.” 

“What does it say?”

“That I’m weak, that I live by the mercy of others and not my own strength. And the open invitation for others to try to take what is mine!” 

“Woah, oh. Okay, that's a strong fashion statement.” 

“Not a fashion thing, just a statement.” Chase looks down to see the fishes with their eyes shot wide. “Leave us.” The scrambled out of sight, but Chase is sure they will remain in hearing range,

“Is that a naga thing? Cause I know lots of lamias with short hair.”

“Yes, it is.” moves and looks at his beautiful scales. “Nagas are very territorial and possessive. If you want something a naga has, you can challenge them to a dual, always to the death. If you win, you can choose to forgive your opponent’s life. To pardon their life and take your prize, you will lift the loser by their hair and cut it to the nape. Everyone that sees them will know that they lost everything,” Chase stops and swallows hard, “they lost everything they held dear and are living out of pity.” 

“Hey,” Jack says, surprised to see Chase's feelings surface. “You don’t have to cut it.” 

“Then, am I lying?” Chase whispers.

“What? No. Wuya didn’t challenge you to anything. She waits for you to be at your most vulnerable. Bitch didn’t win. Plus. You look cute as a brunette.” 

“My hair is black,” Chase says, feeling oddly lighter. He knew he wasn’t challenged properly, but he still lost everything. It was nice to hear it. 

“Yikes.” Jack gets one of the locks between his fingers. “Don’t tell that to anyone.” 

They both laugh at that. 

Also, they got a complimentary meal from their own salons. 

“They are scared I’m gonna write a bad review, which I’ll.” Jack bites his plum.

“They feel bad that they might have reopened an emotional wound due to hair related issues.”

The night came, and the sand fishes explained that they had two sunlight worth of days and one night. 

The food and water were plentiful, the weather actually bearable and the company was pleasant. 

A week passed in a blink, and Jack made arguments for staying another. 

They both put a few healthy pounds on plums, rabbits, and lizard meals, but the fishes warn that their ecosystem won’t be able to maintain them for long. 

Jack packs and unpacks their things. Chase’s patience thins after the second week comes and goes. However, it was hard to object because their current arrangement was beneficial. Especially for Jack.

Protection from the sun and balms to care for his skin has alleviated the eternal pink sunburn Jack has been living with. Jack's skin was pale like the moon, and the scars that pepper his body was each a grand tale. Each epic tale Jack told, a group surrounding him enjoying his exaggerated gestures and energetic presence, his smile widened a bit more. Jack looks so happy, it made Chase feel guilty from plucking him from such a cozy lifestyle. 

At the end of the second week, as Jack was telling a very special tell. His most daring, he said.

It was the darkest hour of the night, and Jack uses a small torch to illuminate his face.

“Fishes, you have heard of all the times I almost left this world. But please let me tell you of my latest misadventures. A tale without an end, since I’m still living the chapters.” 

Chase raises an eyebrow and moves closer. The fire smells like the sun.

Jack tells a tale well known, strangers enter the desert looking for something long lost, and they need a guide. “There I am, ready to help fellow travelers for a few coins, but not before a rainstorm. I told them I’m not a fool, wait for the storm to pass or to look for another guide. But they pulled a sack of gold and for that sinful shine a fool I might be.” Chase paid attention when Jack told him this tale he did in two sentences. “I noticed they were a strange bunch, but you gotta be if you make that far into the Calidi-Issimo desert. Still, their clothes were clean and nice. Armor and staff, and what a combination of races. The most baffling of all, they called themselves the dragon’s apprentices. While we all know, dragons take no apprentices.”

“What were they looking for?” Chase asks and is booed by the group of listeners. 

“I’m not sure, but I have my suspicions. You see, they said they need it an artifact at the heart of the desert, but before they could make it, the storm broke.” Jack stops and looks at his public in the eye before breathing out. “Have you ever thought you will drown in the desert? The most ironic of deaths. Yet I live, live to tell this tale!” Applause from the fishes, and Chase sinks in the sand.

They are still alive, he just knows it. 

He waits until Jack is done, he takes his bows and picks the leaves thrown in his direction.

Jack makes it to Chase and shows him his leaves. 

“If this was actual money, we would have it made.”

“You didn’t mention the dragon’s apprentices,” Chase picks a few leaves. “Or that you are a storyteller.”

“Didn’t think I had to, they are dead. And it was my first profession when I got here, but people don’t tip! I still told stories at the tavern as a hobby.” 

“Are you certain they are dead?” 

“Yeah. The heroes got trapped in a rainstorm and then stuck in the desert. Pretty death.”

“Did you see the bodies?” 

“No, but if they have survived, we have seen them.” 

“Jack, we should leave tomorrow.”

“What? That’s too sudden. We gotta pack and plan and-”

“Jack, I listened to you, and we stayed another week, but I won’t stay another week. I’m leaving tomorrow.” 

“AHH!” Jack whines and sits angrily. “Why leave such a great place?”

“Because, as you said, it’s a stop, not a destination,” Chase says, dragging Jack closer to him until their skin’s touch. They weren’t sure why they lay so close to each other. Maybe it was sharing a tiny home or the long soul-crushing trips they accompany each other. Or that both have lost so much. Either way, when skin brushes skin, there is a quiet comfort they both share. 

“Then tell me, wise guy, where is our destination?”

“I don’t know yet.” Chase pulls one of Jack's pointy ears.

“Ha.” Jack shakes his head and stands up. “Then, I’m going to go to sleep, wake me up.” 

Chase goes back to the lake once Jack leaves, already missing the crystal clear water. He sees his reflection and then a spine nearby. He picks up and puts the sharp edge against his hair. He hesitates, but he decides that just like the palace, this is something he needs to leave behind. A few cuts in, and he regrets everything that led him to this moment. 

Thankfully the salon opened for him. 

Chase made a point to complain through the whole haircut. Still, Matina made sure to compliment him through most of it. He rejected seeing his reflection, but he thanked Martina and Lorna for taking his emergency call.

Chase goes to his camp and lays on his spot next to Jack. His head felt too light, and his neck and back nacked.

It was weird, but not as much as seeing those big red eyes looking at him.

“What?”

“You are beautiful.” Jack breaths out and moves closer to pet the short hair.

“I know.” Chase answers and feels the curious hands caress his hair. The fingers lightly dig into his scalp, and another hand playfully pulls the short strands by his neck. “I didn’t know you like short hair.”

“Not short,” Jack corrects, “black, like the night,” Jack buries his fingers in the short length. “I miss the night.” His voice was low and horsed from days of storytelling.

“It’s night right now,” Chase moves closer until his nose is an inch from Jack’s chest and his tail curls safely around them. 

“I know,” Jack says, looking at the endless stars, “it has just been so long.” He spoke slowly and quietly. “Rigel,” Jack caresses the curved of the naga’s head all the way to his chin, “Vega, Altier, Canopus,” Jack calls the stars like they were all friends. Still, the stars don’t answer back. They never have. “Chase?” The elf calls but only soft breaths answer back. “Oh? Good night.”

Jack doesn't sleep, he takes in the sky like he hasn’t in decades and prays to gods he hasn’t thought in a lifetime to please keep the night away. 

Chase sleeps a dreamless night. 

Like the ones, time doesn’t pass but skips. Chase closed his eyes, hearing Jack named stars, then the sun was rudely shining on his face. 

“Jack,” Chase lifts himself and sees Jack sitting next to him with his bag secure on his back. 

“Didn’t want to wake you,” Jack explains.

Chase nods and moves to the water to wash one last time before leaving.

“We lost half a day.”

“We could wait until tomorrow,” Jack adds, but Chase shuts down with a glance.

The naga leaves the water, they give a quick goodbye to the sandfishes and leave.

The weather was hot, but compared to the heat they endured deeper into the desert, it was a bright morning. 

Jack pouts for a few minutes until they spot the first bush, it was small and pitiful, but it was alive.

Both advanced, confident they had taken the right path. 

Chase waits until he is certain no one is around, except by mice looking for seeds.

“Jack, the heroes you spoke of last night. They were looking for this.” Chase produces a small delicate knife.

“A knife. I’m sure there are better.” Jack climbs over the other’s back to reach for the knife. It was pretty, but that is it.

“No like this one. I believe it's magical.”

“Is it?” Jack feels the dull blade and calls upon the magic that once froze the great naga king for centuries. “Cause it feels like a common knife to me, not even a good one. Though, my magic detecting senses are mediocre at best.”

“You are right, there is no magic in that knife. But I think it’s magical nonetheless.”

“Mm, I did find you holding it.” 

They continued moving until they reach a rocky floor with big wild bushes and short trees and not far behind a small mountain.

They set camp on a cave, and Chase was surprised to sleep again. 

They left again before the sunrise, and by sundown, they finished all their rations. 

The next morning over the small mountain to find a land rich in minerals, plants, and birds. Jack picks berries, and Chase found four eggs.

They build a small fire to cook their food and lay over the cold hard ground.

Chase told him that they were a day away from civilization, and Jack reminded him that they have no money. 

The naga catches Jack looking at the moon, the moon was barely crescent, so far from full. 

“Somethings I forget you are a moon elf,” 

Jack tilts his head, questioning, “mm?”

“You look at the moon with resentment.”

“I don’t!” Jack says, pushing Chase away. “I don’t.”

They both look up to the sky and appreciate the clouds passing by. 

“I just thought that we are not in the desert anymore. I saw a stream back there, surely if we keep going, we will find a river.”

“Bigger animals, too, maybe fish,” Chase says, hoping the lost in Jack’s face will disappear.

“Fish? I wish,” Jack smiles and closes his eyes at a memory, “but they are gone, traveling to the sea right after the rain.” 

“The sea,” Chase says a bit excitedly, and then he confesses, “I have never seen the sea.” 

Jack wasn’t listening, he was looking at the moon, His big red eyes stare intensely at the moon.

“Jack.”

“It’s beautiful, we should travel down. Since we don’t have a specific direction. It’s a few weeks, maybe months.”

“As long as we keep moving,” Chase says and pulls Jack from his spot into his lap. The elf continued to stare like the moon commands it, and Chase cups his chin to break the spell. “Jack, you look a bit tired, let's sleep for tonight.”

“Yes, I think the hunger is finally getting to me,” Jack says and hides his face in the curve of Chase’s neck. While they were used to physical contact, it was still far more touchy than Chase expected. But Jack said he was tired. 

Like many nights before, Chase wraps his tail around them to keep them safe. Jack massages his head until Chase is fast asleep, and Jack stays awake hours after. Hearing the calling of the moon.

The morning comes, and while a bit sleepy, Jack is back to normal. They move in their new direction. Due to the many obstacles in the way, Chase goes at a slower pace, so much so that Jack walks next to him most of the day. 

They walk talking about various topics until Chase detects a smell. He tastes the air a few times to confirm, “There is a tavern a few miles from here.” 

“Where? Shit!” Jack is unceremoniously lifted from the ground. He tries to secure himself to Chase’s neck while the naga crashes dead trees under his unforgiving grasp. In minutes, Jack could smell the fatty pork, bake sweet potatoes, and the bitter alluring scent of beer. “I haven’t had a beer in decades.”

“I hope they have wine,” Chase says, and the pair smile at their prospect. 

The illusion lasts a second.

“And realistically, how much do we have?” 

“Mm,” Jack looks though their single bag of belongings, “old tunics and worn leather gloves,” and just then, Jack noticed how old and worn his clothes are, “an old tiny knife,”

“We are not exchanging that for a meal.”

“We will see,” Jack jokes, “Good fire-starting rocks, and those are good and hard to come by,”

“Lucky I found some dried one after that storm, there is a layer of humidity on everything.” Chase agrees, feeling a bit defeated,

“A few berries we save for later, hygiene utilities, two spoon, and three bowls, bottled up magic -let’s keep that, and another small knife. This one works.”

“I supposed we should pass the tavern, maybe we can try hunting for bigger animals-”

“After we find shelter!” Jack reminds him.

“...of course,” Chase was surprised when Jack objected to coming hunting. There wasn’t much game in the coniferous forest. Since fall was on its way, everything big moved to greener pasture, and everything small hid too well. Plus, Chase’s big size makes it difficult to sneak in small animals. He hoped that by hunting together, they could cover more ground. But the really odd was that he thought Jack would be up for hunting. Instead, he stays behind in some dark corner until Chase comes back with their small dinner. “We should get moving then, this is new territory. Hopefully, there I’ll find a rabbit hen.” Chase also notice 

“We have one more thing; me-”

“You?”

“And my wonderful personality. Dinner is on me tonight.” Jack says and runs ahead.

Chase follows, picks Jack up and moves closer to the tavern. 

“What are you planning, little elf?” Chase says and laughs in response. Good. Jack has been a bit down lately, after leaving the Oasis. 

They make it to the door, and Jack opens it like the place has been waiting for him. 

“Hello!” Jack goes in and immediately talks to the lady in charge. A tall lady, just an inch shorter than Jack, holding a tray. “Miss, can I borrow the stage?” 

She looks at the odd-looking elf, the huge lamia standing by the door frame, and she lifts an eyebrow.

“You got something to say-” She slowly switches the tray, but her words of intimidation are lost in Jack.

“Yes, thank you for understanding.” He runs and then jumps on the stage, half of the patrons were looking at Jack. The other half keep an eye on Chase with weapons ready. “If your fellow travelers will give me your attention, then I want to tell you a tale.” 

“A wild barn,” The lady face palms and reaches for her broom. “Dirty things.”

“I know all here have a story to tell, a brush with death so close your soul might still be catching up. But my story takes us further,” Jack sees the woman coming to him with a broom. “I went to the Calidi-Issimo desert,” that stops everyone in their tracks, the woman puts the broom down. She listens, “and now I’m back. To tell my tale.”

Jack's story was full of fear, and his exaggerated actions delivered the drier parts. Still, the audience was harder than the bandits back home or the sandfishes. People heard of monsters on the sand. 

“It’s not a monster but a curse you must fear. But if you are curious, you can go. There are jewels without comparison hidden in the sand.” Jack takes his bow, and when he lifts his head, four bronze coins are in front of him. He picks them and goes to find the woman, who is now cleaning dishes at the bat. “Excuse me, can I please have two of your cheapest meals.” Jack slides the coins to her. And she pushes them back.

“That would be ten bronze coins or two silver coins.” 

Jack’s eyes widen. “Okay, then.”

He returns to the stage to tell another story, but this one got him a sad single coin. The elf takes a deep breath, and a mischievous idea sparkles in his eyes. If these stories don’t do, Jack will tell them a better one, a hotter one.

“If they are any of faint heart present, I’ll ask you to please leave,” a few roll their eyes, “my next and final story is of despair, certain death, and sex.” That got the reaction that he wanted. “The first year in the desert was the hardest, I underestimated the heat or I overestimated my strength. I left in the morning, and the hours dragged on. I was lost, without water or food.” Jack made sure to emphasize his words, took it slow until a stranger entered his story. A lamia, tall and strong. Chase holds his words. “As a moon elf, I admired his dexterity over the sand and his dominant,” Jack didn't need large movement, with every eye tracking him, he could bat his long eyelashes to make a point, “personality. He picked me up with one arm, my loot in the other. Not a feat I’m used to. Made me a deal only a fool would reject, he would take me to safety for half of what I got. I wanted to live, so I agreed, but what a waste of my hard work. So I ask, once he took me home if there was something else we could arrange.” A blush paints his cheeks, “He looked at me, and I shiver, those green eyes knew things I would soon understand. He cupped my chin and said that I was the first moon elf he has ever seen. He pressed his thumb into my lower lip and said that I was pretty like the moon.” Jack lightly presses his own fingers over his lips before sighing. “His touch was so rough.” He slowly caresses his body down, stopping before dipping too low down his hips, “his mouth colder than I expected, a welcome sensation in the desert. And oh! How eager he was. He pushed me against the wall, pinned me hard as I played with his long strands. Lost in sin where no one could see.” Jack stops and smiles at the silent room. No one eats or looks at each other. This one should get him their meals and a drink. “He pushed me back,” a soft whine and pout, “he said; I was pretty, but a kiss won’t settle my debt. A businessman and I respect that. So I offered to kiss him more, deeper, until I left him breathless and dizzy. So I sank to my knees.” The tension in the room was exhilarating, and Jack moved forward to make himself more visible. “The trick with rough men is to give the care that is so rarely found on the road. A long kiss, just to tease, followed by touch. To give the pressure he seeks, I made sure to look him in the eye,” Jack says as he makes eye contact with a human patron, “before sealing my lips around him. He tasted of heat and salt and bucked in so energetically. I cared with my tongue,” in the well-lit room, and against Jack’s pale skin, the flashes of his pink tongue were obscenely obvious. “It was… more than I’m used to, but I'm nothing if dedicated. It just required more moving, shifting to best fit him as he placed his hand on me, encouraging me,” Jack bits his lip, and that tongue flashes again. It was purposely and shameless. “He bucked so eagerly. I became breathless, and my thoughts dirty to a single action.” The pause was so long, patrons lean forwards as Jack's devilish smile widens before. He closes his pretty red eyes, and they hear his tongue moving in his wet mouth. The elf tilts his face up, exposing his neck, his cheeks hollows, and he swallows. His adam's apple bobs twice, and he lets low hum clear his throat. 

Jack takes a longer bow, as the patrons shift their seats and regain their composure. And when he lifts his head, he sees his bowl empty.

He blinks and looks at the people, who were obviously into his story. They look away with red faces. “No reason to be shy,” Jack tries again, but no one felt like admitting they like an erotic story in front of the full tavern. “Seriously?” Jack felt like everyone there just slapped him in the face. “Okay, then.” Jack jumps off the stage and picks some bread from a table, “don’t pay me, you. Closet perverts!” and a whole roast chicken from another, “But then when you jerk off tonight, remember you are a cheap bastard!” Jack takes a long drink from someone’s drink. “And your welcome!” 

He ran off to Chase before the shock passed. Just in time, the pair escape with the lady in the bar running far behind, waving her broom to them. 

Chase picks up Jack, and they go where the trees are taller, and they are closer to rocky areas. Jack laughs at the whole situation, and Chase just stares, more than a bit of surprise.

They find a nice place with lots of coverage from the trees and flat ground. Chase places a big rock in the middle to work as a table. Jack uses an old tunic as a table cloth and then puts their food in their two eating bowls. 

“Now, this is a meal!” Jack laughs, and Chase gives him a blank smile.

“I don’t know if I should eat it.” 

“Help theeself, your highness.” Jack takes a chicken leg and bites in. “Stole chicken tastes just as good as regular chicken,” he moans loudly at the flavor. “Oh, this is delicious!”

“I can’t believe you expose yourself like that, to steal a chicken.” Chase wishes he hadn't learned of Jack’s many talents on a stage. 

“Well, the plan was to buy the chicken, but that place was full of cheap bastards.”

“It wasn’t the right crow,” Chase nods and takes the other leg that Jack was eyeing, “Did you notice all of them hold some sort of weapon? All heavy, swords, hammers, lances. And all men clean shaved, and women have their hair neatly up.” 

“Guards? Legit guards for a court or some fancy shit?” Jack says excitedly, he wishes to experience luxury, but he is broke. Funny, he is even more broke than when he went to the desert thirty-five years ago to make a ‘fortune.’ “I was so concentrated in their expressions that I didn’t take care to check for weapons.” Jack takes a piece of bread.

“You didn’t take care of anything.” Chase snaps and sees Jack look down. “I couldn’t fit through the door,” Chase explains, “if something were to happen and my response was delayed.” 

Jack mumbles a low sorry.

“And the story you chose. I worry you might make yourself a target of attention, I’m not sure if unwanted.” Chase takes another piece of chicken, and Jack’s eyes widen.

“Hey, that was a story! A good one. I can’t believe it flopped!” Jack munches on his bread. “I got it from one of the books I traded to Vlad.” 

“Oh, so, that was no… a personal anecdote.” 

“You meet the lamias Chase,” Jack blushes a bit, less confident off stage. 

“I thought you were using dramatization to paint your very visual story.” 

“Let’s not talk about it!” Jack stops and then returns to the topic. “I study storytelling and drama at school. And when I got to the desert, it was the only thing I could think of doing. But everyone has their cool, mysterious stories, and mine didn’t sound as good. And well, sex sells.” The elf shrugs his shoulders, “not enough to survive, but it was an easy side gig. I assume we could make a quick buck with it.” 

“I didn’t mean to judge,” Chase says apologetically.

“But you did!” 

They eat in silence until only the bones remain. Chase munches on the bones happily while Jack works on making a little roof for their camp. The naga doesn’t understand why bother, the weather is nice, and they will pick another location tomorrow. 

“I should get the fire started,” Chase says and uses his tail to lift himself tall between the trees. He picks dried branches and old nests. Sadly, no eggs were left. 

He returns down and makes a quickfire using the nests as kindling. The fire rocks always work on his hands. Jack observes him.

“Chase,” Jack calls while breeding twits together to make a mesh roof, “do you, or did you do something besides being a naga and a king?” 

“Oh,” Chase sits in front of Jack and curls his tail around the fire as the sunsets begin, “I never care for theater,” he says and Jack gives him a look, “I concentrated in my studies, astronomy, mathematics, martial arts, and sorcery.” 

“Sorcery, like a magician?” 

“Yes, I was a very powerful one.” 

“Was?” 

“I lost my magic,” Chase says as a matter of fact. Jack stops his work. The elf wasn’t fond of magic, and if he were to lose him, he would not cry. But most creatures couldn't draw a line where their magic ends and their self begins. 

“What? When? Why?” Jack moves to Chase, surprised to find him emotionless, “Why didn’t you say anything.”

“Jack, calm down. I lost my magic when I woke up. I’m not sure why. I just know that I woke up, and everything I knew and worked for was gone, my palace, my riches, my armies, for the merciless sun, even my hair. Everything was gone. Why should my magic be any different.” He breathes out, trying to control emotions he doesn’t want to feel yet. “And I didn’t tell you because I don’t want you to think of me as a lack of things. By knowing me now, I can also appreciate a new side of myself.” Chase says.

“Was it cause you were embarrassed? cause I also have problems with magic and no one wants to talk about-”

“Jack!” 

They stay quiet, mourning everything that they had lost. 

“Magic doesn’t disappear,” Jack says. “Chase,” he moves closer until he is almost on the naga’s lap, “You woke up and left the deathtrap of a desert in two weeks. I have never met anyone with more raw determination than you. So, if you want to mourn your magic silently, I know you will do that. But, if you want to get it back somehow, well, I’m here for the trip. I know magic is to some the same as your soul. You don’t have to pretend otherwise.” 

Chase reaches for the elf’s hand and looks at the palm before nodding. He was surprised by Jack's loyalty. Chase didn’t trust it, but it felt nice to have someone so adamant in his corner. 

“I lost a lot. I want it back all of it, but,” Chase thinks of his past mistakes, “I worry, would my greed be my undoing,” again. “I was trapped in that palace long before I was forced into slumber.” 

“I don’t know,” Jack says, and it seems the end of that conversation. 

Silently, the pair lay in the mock-bed made out of leaves and tied the bred leaves as a tart. Hidden in the dark, Chase curls his body around Jack, and Jack finds his hands lightly pulling Chase’s short hair. 

The moon became more visible, and Jack, barely safe behind the thin protection of the roof. He sees specks of moonlight shine in the green scales.

“I play the flute,” Chase says out of nowhere. 

“The flute, as a hobby.”

“I have always liked the arts. I try painting, but apparently, I have no talent.” 

Jack laughs at the image of Chase, playing such a delicate instrument. 

“A flute of all instruments.” 

“I also play the harp, violin, and the guzheng, my favorite.”

“Ah, what about a lute?”

“I occasionally play the pipa, which is very similar to a lute.”

“We could be a duo!” Jack giggles and cups Chase's face to bring him closer to his. Jack’s eye had a glow. 

“A duet,” Chase laughs, surprised by their increasing closeness. “I don’t know if I could keep up wit-” Then, Jack kissed him. It was a messy kiss, Jack’s mouth was open over Chase's tightly close lips. The naga pushes the elf away, shocked. 

Jack’s black smiley face twists with pain, and his eyes seem to focus.

“I’m so sorry. Chase, I’m sorry, please,” Jack tries to leave, but Chase keeps him in place. 

“Jack! What is happening? Your behavior today has been reckless and unpredictable.” Chase noticed, but it wasn’t huge changes, all things Jack would do but with no preparation. “Impulsive.”

“I’m sorry.”

“All week, you have been looking nervous and paranoid. If there is something to say, say it now.” Chase says firmly, and Jack looks down, he considers his options.

“I’m having problems with my magic, too, they are more common than people talk about.” 

“What is happening?”

“Is just too much moonlight. I’m a moon elf,” Jack explains, “I harvest the magic of the moon naturally.” Chase nods. He used to harvest magic from the sun when he was a young naga, “but in the desert, I saw the moon every six days, for so long. I got used to that. Now, every night, it’s too much.”

“You can hold magic?” Chase assumed that Jack couldn’t since he seems to always use an external source of magic. 

Jack stays quiet for a long time before answering.

“Yes, technically, I can hold magic.” Jack lets a self-deprecating laugh. 

“Technically?”

“Yeah, I have a low magic tolerance before my body gets overwhelmed.” Jack reaches for their bag and pulls the bottled up magic. He looks at it with an odd sentiment of anger. “I can hold enough magic for one spell. After that, the moonlight starts making giddy. The more exposure I get, the worst I get. It takes over my mind. And eventually, it will take over my body. My body is weak, so, if that happens, then I won’t wake up.” 

Chase nods, surprised at Jack’s odd case. 

“The roof and hiding in dark corners.”

“Damage control.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it makes me inconvenient,” Jack says as a matter of fact. A single tear falls from the corner of his eye, and soon many follow running over his cheeks, “and as soon as you notice, you will leave me behind. And I’ll be at the same place I was before.” The thin silver halo in Jack’s red irises shines as he weeps more and more tears. 

Chase keeps his hands to himself. This was the first time he saw a person cry. But also, he couldn’t deny Jack’s suspicion. It would be cruel if he comforts him when Chase can’t follow through. 

He wonders if Jack’s loyalty was his, or a spell from the moon.

“Can you use magic, cast a spell?” Chase could think of seven ways to help Jack from the top of his head.

“After I used the magic, I recharge even faster the next time. Doing as few spells as possible is best in the long run.” Jack says mechanically. “Doing a continuous spell works for a few days, but it’s weakening for my body. Trying to store my magic in another object takes focus and energy, it would be the only thing I can do until the moon leaves.” Jack sits up and looks at his shelter. “Avoiding the moonlight is the only thing that has work.”

Chase stays quiet. 

Jack is smart, resourceful, and daring. Chase is sure that Jack already tried everything he could think. 

“So, you went to the desert.” Jack ran away from the moon, defeated. But not forever, he was planning on collecting enough jewels to build himself a lab where the moonlight will not touch him. 

“I don’t want to go back,” Jack whispers.

The silence that settled between them was deafening, so much that Chase left. He sliders away careful to not disturned the roof. Once he is outside, he looks at the sky, the crescent moon has grown in size and soon will it be a full moon. Then, he looks at the thin roof Jack made. It wasn’t keeping the moonlight out. Chase looks at a tree branch with rich and heavy foliage and breaks it off. He places it over their tent to filter the light. 

“Chase?” Jack hears the noise, and then everything gets darker.

“Jack,” Chase re-enters their little tent. He found Jack at the Calisi-Issimo desert, and it is said that you only go there when there are no options. “I don’t have any encouraging words like you have for me earlier, this same evening.” Chase still feels weird about Jack’s teary face. It was odd he found it pretty. Jack giggles at that, and he looks pretty. “I don’t make promises I can’t keep. But for now, you are my traveling companion. Even if we have to waste time to avoid the moon. It’s not like we are on a tight schedule.” 

It wasn’t a promise, but it was close enough to Jack.

The elf looks at the other so lovely, his big ruby eyes and smile will hunt Chase for a long time.

“Chase,” His name sounded so sweet, “thank you.”

Chase couldn’t bring himself to answer. Instead, he curls his tail around them, and Jack’s hands find their place in Chase’s hair. And, for the first time since they left the Oasis, they both slept through the night. 

They woke up to a rocket of chainmail and armor plates being thrown on the ground. Loud laughs and voices chat idly unaware of the simple camp. 

Because Jack and Chase were not planning to stay long, they didn’t bother to set a big camp. The only visible part that they were was the remains of a tiny fire and looks more like a quick stop than an overnight. Their small tent was well hidden behind a tree branch, appearing to be a simple bush. And Chase green scales fit right in with the heavy foliage if you don’t look to close. 

The band of three talks about the lack of fish in the lake, and the terrible hunting season. Or how it wasn’t hunting season anymore.

Jack and Chase were wide awake, but neither move or attend to alert the group of their presence. They were not spying, per se, they just avoided having to interact with others so early in the morning. Last night was intense and emotional, both revisited old traumas which felt surprisingly fresh. Now they must sit in silence and analyze if they over shared.

So it made more sense to listen to the strangers talk about nothing important.

The group got quiet and waited. 

Looking around for possible witnesses.

“Hey, so are you guys in for tonight?”

“I am.” responded another voice, and Jack and Chase looked at each other curiously. 

“I don’t know, man.” A few steps away from them. 

“What do you mean you don’t know? You were pretty damn sure before.” 

“Woah, hey, calm. Vepar, what happened? We talk about this, and we all agree to throw the fight. Make a bet, make a profit. Fast and simple, no one gets hurt.” 

“I saw a lot of noble guards coming in, and even some knights. I worry, a righteous knight busts us out.”

“Hey, any noble whatever that comes to today’s contest is because they didn’t make the cut for the Duchess’ tournament.”

The two discuss further, and then the third one adds a persuasive argument. 

“Stop babying her, listen, child, throw the fight so Percy here can win. He keeps the price money, and we slip the betting profits. How does 500 gold coins sound to you? Hm?” He laughs, “500 hundred! We are gonna skip town. Either way, the question is, do you want to do it with money or without?”

Silence once again. But Vepar agrees, she has to. 

The nicer one tries to lighten the conversation, and they part ways quickly.

Jack and Chase stare at each other and contemplate the opportunity that has fallen into their lap.

“500 hundred gold coins!” Jack mused on his lips. All worries drown my hope.

“That’s the capital that we need,” Chase nods, feeling drunk by the glimmer of hope.

“And deserve!” Jack hurries to pack up their belongings, which takes like four seconds. 

Chase tears their little tent, and Jack hisses at the sun. The naga stops at the off expression for an elf but doesn’t mention it.

“You can buy a hat,” Chase looks at Jack squinting at the light

“I’ll buy a full outfit!” Jack straps the bag to his back. “And maybe a book or two.” 

The pair moves back to the tavern with spring on their step. 

Open the door like they own the place, find the lady in charge and ask, where is the contest being held? She gives them a look and tells them in an inn a few miles west, closer to the village. But, there is an entrance fee of two gold coins. 

Still hopeful, Chase and Jack walk to the contest.

“We can give them the bottled magic as collateral instead of our tickets,” Jack says, unbothered by the new obstacle. “And bet the five bronze coins I’ve.” 

“‘Our tickets,’ I hope you mean, ‘tickets,’ singular.”

“We increase the chances of one of us winning if we both fight.”

“Jack,” Chase looks down at his small companion. “I applaud your confidence, but it might be best if I represent both of us.”

“Hah. What are you saying there? I’m stronger than I appear to be.”

“I know that!” Chase was surprised by Jack's incredible endurance, muscular thighs, and resilient personality. “But I have years of training as a fighter, and you, what did you study Jack, theater?”

“I study advanced mathematics and Spellcasting. With a minor in storytelling and theater.” 

“Ah? How are your fighting stands?”

“Okay, you might have a point. I’ll support from the sides.” 

The inn was unproportionally big to the village.

So big that it cast an ample shade over the village not far down. 

Chase didn’t recognize the building as massive, just the right size, to hold multiple, not small creatures. He meant little creatures like Jack. 

“A bit far from the village, though?” Both could agree on that. 

“I think it’s new,” Chase says while looking around him, the floor, the mountains, and the chirping of the birds was familiar to him.

“The village or the inn?”

“Both. Multiple roads meet ahead, up and west, an hour or two from here.” Chase says and looks into the forest. “And a lake with a waterfall near a cave. The people, the people, are new.” 

“Do you know this place?” Jack stops near the ticket booth. 

“Yes, I was born and raised here for the first 10 to 15 years of my life.”

“What are we doing in your hometown?! What didn’t you say anything?” Jack jumps in front of Chase.

“I didn’t recognize it at first,” Chase says amuse at Jack’s excitement. “It has changed a lot.”

“Woah, your hometown. Chase, you gotta show me around!”

“The whole village is new to me, Jack.”

“No, the village, fuck small-town people, they are all crummy. I mean, your house! Where you play? And, stuff. We are taking a break and going sightseeing!” Jack declares, and Chase can’t help to laugh at the absurdity.

“It’s just the place where I hatched, not where I was made. And this territory has been taken by others.” Chase explains how the place where he was born was not important to him. He did notice how crowded it was, he supposes that means his parents were dead. 

“You at least gotta go and say thank you!”

“Is this an elf thing?”

“A moon elf thing or maybe is a nomad thing. Or a nomad elf thing. I don’t know. But we are doing it!”

“I see no objection, but first.” Chase points at the ticket booth.

There was no line, and they approached a young human man managing the booth. He is immediately surprised by the pair, he murmurs a few words of amazement and clears his throat.

“Are you here to buy tickets to watch the fight?” He looks up and down at Chase, “Or,” he swallows a bit scared, “to participate?”

“One of each,” Chase says, and Jack puts their bottled up magic on the table. “We don’t have the money, so we are using bottled up magic for collateral.”

“Ah, we are not accepting collaterals,” the man whispers, and while Chase caught every word, he stills leans forwards into the booth and into his space.

“What did you say?” 

The air was sucked out of the room. The boy was about to agree when an old and high pitched voice repeated.

“We are not accepting collaterals. So that will be a gold coin and five bronze coins.” Her arms were thin and shaking as she pushed on the wheels of her wheelchair, her face sour and wrinkled, long white hair tied in a messy bun, and her legs were missing from the knee down. 

“We are low in our funds, but I’m certain we will win.” 

“You and every other fighter here think they are gonna waltz in and out with the prize money! No collaterals, just coins.” She uses a cane to point at the wooden sign next to the boot, “Rules are spelled out, if you can’t read, Sunny here will read them for you.” 

“Grammy,” Jack tries and almost gets hit in the face by a cane.

“I’m not your grandmother! And you won’t talk your way out of this. Come back with the gold or not come back at all!” 

“Gold. Not gold coin, gold alone will be enough,” Chase looks at the bottled up magic. The grandmother looks at it too.

“Yes, but if counterfeit gold makes it to my table, I’ll take you personally to the Duchess court.” 

“Yes, of course. Let’s go, Jack.” Chase turns, and Jack follows with their bottled safe between his hands. 

“Just so you know, I suck at illusions spells.” 

“Didn’t you hear Jack,” Chase stops and lowers himself slightly so Jack can easily climb over, “we will be taken to the duchess court if we give counterfeit gold.”

“Oh, good, she actually did scare me.” Jack secures his legs around the tail and hugs Chase midsection. Just in time for the naga to move as fast as he could. 

Trees had grown, some had fallen, and there were new ones. But overall, the landscape was the same. Chase climbs up the hill avoiding all the inclined trees like he just practiced yesterday. A few close calls that made his heart race and Jack looks over the great lake and the waterfall’s song that comes and goes. The stop in front of a rock formation, like a wall or damp, too perfect to be natural. 

“Hold tight,” was the only warming Chase offered before climbing the wall; it was challenging even now as an adult, and then freefall his way down. The ground was still soft, covered with leaves.

“Wow,” Jack couldn’t make his arm let go. 

It was a hidden home. The ground was flat and green, a dense curtain of trees and the rock wall isolates the space from everything else, the air smells clean with the soft sound of a waterfall less than a mile away. Small animals rein in the secret camp, and Jack gets off and walks around.

“Jack, we don’t have much time.” Chase moves deeper in. The hill was been hollowed out to serve as a cave. 

“Is this your childhood home?” Jack asks. Chase has to think about that, he has never thought about the prairie as his childhood anything. It was the place where he hatched, nothing else. It wasn’t even a real prairie.

“I supposed. I was hatched in that cave,” Chase says, and Jack looks at the cave. It was a cave, the floor was covered in sand instead of rock or dirt. “And I practiced climbing and hunting here until I was strong enough to pass the rock barrier.” 

“Oh, were you a cute baby?” Jack looks inside, a lot of light filters into the cave, it was obviously by design. 

“I like to think so.” Chase takes the bag and looks for the bottle.

Jack looks inside the cave. It was deep.

“What are we doing here, by the way?”

“We are making gold,” Chase says and draws a signal on the sand.

“Counterfeits will be punished.” 

“That’s why we are not making a fake. We are making real gold, Jack.” 

“Good try, but no one can make gold,” Jack stares incredulously at Chase, “people had tried that since gold became currency.” 

“People figured how to trick nature into making pearls. I figured how to make gold.” Chase insists and looks at Jack,” I’m going to teach you.”

“You are lying,” Jack sits next to Chase, “no way this is true.” 

“The spell is not hard, I have seen you perform magic before. And, I’m confident you can cast it. But it will require all the magic we have.”

“Holy shit. Fuck Deneb and a whole goose. Are you for real?”

“Yes, first, you must clear your main and focus on the task.”

“I'm gonna make gold.” Jack stands and walks around, “I need a moment. If my old professor could see me now. I’ll ask, do you think I’m still a” Jack imitates mother Usurla’s voice “A waste of chair for more capable students,” He laughs, “well, fuck you. I’m gonna make gold and be rich. Wait? Why didn't we do this before?” 

“Because it requires a lot of magic, and yields little gold. It’s just not worth unless we have a lot of magic. If we have to buy the magic separately-” 

“Then, we are barely making a profit or could be losing money.” Jack finished. Also, the spell is far more valuable and shouldn’t be shared easily. But, since Chase doesn’t have the magic anymore, only Jack can use it. “Okay, how does it go?” 

“You need to concentrate and visualize gold, draw the sigil,” Chase draws another one, Jack sits next to him and practices drawing one, “then place your hand over it. Recite the spell one breath at the time. Do not rush or repeat words, just say it once. You will feel like your hand is being crushed, it’s not, just keep going.” 

“Okay. And that’s it. No terrible setbacks like losing body parts or years of my life?”

“No, that’s it.”

“And with this, I can make gold?”

“And jewels too.”

“Baby moonbeams.” Jack smiles, too excited and distracted to make the connection between Chase’s ability to make gold and jewels out of dirt and the millions of cursed treasures in the desert. 

“It goes like this,” Chase takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and places his hand over his sigil. “Frange terræ. Manducare omnes partes. Mineralis pone manum tuam inter myriades annorum. Decies noctibus. A million temporibus. Ut sub sole. Sub luna. Aurum ad vitam.” 

Chase specifies where to stop and how to stop. He puts his hand over Jack’s chest and tells him to breathe deep, and the claws treat him so delicate that Jack forgets. 

Jack isn’t sure if Chase is a good teacher, or Jack is just a good student. 

Jack repeats the spell a few times until Chase approves of the pronunciation. 

In less than an hour, Chase pronounces Jack ready to do a spell that defines Alchemy laws. 

“You are ready.” Chase sounds so confident that Jack feels it too.

The moon elf closes his eyes and searches for the guidance in the stars. He feels their subtle touch and concentrates on their divinity before moving to think of the richness of gold. The precious metal, weak to fire and strong to water. A conductive metal, perfect for small electrical charges. A good gold coin to take them further into their travels. Gold. 

Jack draws the sigil, and dirt is rich and fertile. But to Jack, it glitters golden. 

He closes his eyes and puts his hand over the sigil. 

Gold.

“ _ Frange terræ. _ ” Breathe. “ _ Manducare omnes partes. _ ” Under his hand the earth shifts, he looks for gold. “ _ Mineralis pone manum tuam inter myriades annorum _ .” Pressure builds within his bones, but the pain is drowned by a single soulless thought. Gold. After that, the rest of the spell comes out easily. “ _ Decies noctibus. A million temporibus. Ut sub sole. Sub luna. Aurum ad vitam _ .”

When Jack finished, he didn’t feel tired or worried. It took nighting out of him, just like Chase said. Under his hand was a sizable gold pebble. 

“It works?! It worked!” He pulled it out to the sun, it was real gold.

“Of course,” Chase says, remembering when he made the spell work for the first time. “Did you doubt me, or did you doubt yourself?” 

“Ah! You are a genius!” Jack jumps over the naga, who catches him and lifts him up. 

“We must go,” Chase says, and Jack kisses the gold chunk. 

“Let go give grammy some nice pure gold? How many karats do you think it is?” The climb out was much more comfortable than the climb in. The inside side has large rocks and branches sticking out that were easy to grab by tail. Verus the outside side that has the much smaller rocks and smooth surfaces that required the use of hand and a lot of upper body strength. Then Jack understood something, that if a small naga were to climb the inside wall and make it to the other side, then the little naga won’t be able to make it back in. Chase’s childhood home was a safe place to grow, but not a welcoming place to stay. 

That’s why it was easy to forget about it as soon as you turned around. 

The way down the hill felt longer with the new information, and once they made it to the booth, Jack found himself a bit sad.

“Jack?” Chase asks, waiting for Jack to get off him. 

“Yes,” Jack gets off, nearly falling and moves to the booth. They didn’t even bother with Sunny. They went directly to Grammy, who looked at the gold. 

She stares closely, squinting her eyes, bites the pebble, and murmurs to herself. 

“It’s real.” She says surprised and passes it to her grandson. 

“Grammy, don’t you want me to measure it?”

“Do what you do, Sunny, it’s real.” 

The boy measures it, and after the tedious process, he gives Chase a yellow ribbon with a number on it that works as a ticket. 

“The fighting will begin at 9 and end when it ends.” The grammy says

“We recommend our fighters to stretch and relax before the fights. Please avoid getting drunk before the fight. And if possible, read the rules, which is just one page. If you can’t read then-” 

Chase and Jack walk away to rest under a tree. It was four, and the sun was already setting.

“Will you be okay?” Chase asks.

“Yes, the fight is indoors, so I should be fine.”

“Indoors?” The building was big enough to host large creatures, but setting the fights indoors seems like a risky move for a business. 

“I don’t think this is all legal, so they are trying to avoid attention,” Jack explains.

“That would explain, but is it worth it?”

“Mm, that’s on them to decide, but that Grammy looks scary, I’m sure she will keep it under control.” 

Once they reach their spot, Jack sits down, and Chase begins to stretch. He warms his body and feels a comfortable ache in sleeping muscles. It has been a while, he supposes since he last fought. 

A good fight might be good for his heart, clear his mind. 

“Hey, rules.” Jack pulls a paper nail to the tree. 

They look over the rules, simple five rules, that go as followed:

  1. To enter the contest, you must pay one gold coin for a ticket, no collaterals are accepted under any circumstances. No refunds.
  2. No cursed or enhanced weapons of any kind are allowed. Other non-magical weapons are allowed but will not be provided. 
  3. No excessive damage. Once a participant cannot continue to fight, the fight must stop. If the fight continues, it will result in immediate disqualification. 
  4. Any damage done to the inn or excessive damage to other participants will be discounted from the prize money. 
  5. No outside house betting, conspiracies/cheating is allowed. If a participant is found cheating, then they will be banned for five years. 



“It seems fair,” Chase says.

“It worries me that weapons are allowed,” Jack thinks.

“It does bring more uncertainty to our plan. I’m just happy there aren't any weight restrictions.” They both nod and return to their activities. 

People come to set booths and look at the fighters, and by seven, the place looks more like a festival.

Lanterns were lit, booths selling food and merchandise open, and musicians and entertainers found corners to work from. Jack left to check in the nearby booths while Chase tried to meditate before his fight. 

By seven-thirty, people fill the inn’s yarns, family, sellers, and spectators loudly roam the shift-make-festival. It was overwhelming for a creature accustomed to solitude.

The worst was that Chase was cornered, he was too large to just join the crowd, and there wasn’t enough space on the sides to slip in. 

By eight-ten, Jack returns with a stolen fried squirrel in a stick and finds Chase curled up on the tree.

He stares up, and the naga looks down.

Bites his tasty treaty. “So, is this part of the meditation process?” 

“Yes, I am finding peace in a sea of noise.” 

Jack snorts in response and climbs the tree. He slips on the trunk, and the end of Chase’s tail catches him and pulls him up.

“Thank you,” Jack says and continues to climb higher, above the top. Chase follows with a light step. 

“We should start going to the arena.” He says.

“And go fast, I think we are gonna have to go back and around.” Jack looks at the crow.

“This is a lot of people.” Chase's eyes are unfocused, trying to instantly locate a target. 

“Nervous by an audience.”

“No,” Chase turns to Jack, then again to the crow, “though, I don’t know. I have never fought in front of an audience. But it can’t be different than fighting without one.”

“Oh, it is! Or I think it is. I have never fought without an audience.” Jack says, trying to figure out how to get off the tree. Chase goes first, wrapping his tail down the trunk and then helping Jack down.

“Public fighting, professional storyteller, and guide. Do you exist when no one is looking?” Jack jumps into Chase’s arms and secures himself by hooking his arm around Chase’s neck.

“No,” the elf smiles, “I don’t like close company, but I do like eyes on me. That’s why I know an audience makes the whole difference.” 

They move back and find where most of the fighters are waiting. Sunny, the booth ticket grandson is trying his hardest to get the attention of the participants. He looks razzed. 

Jack busies himself, explaining Chase to be nice to the audience. 

“People want to be entertained, do not end fights too quickly. Be smug but not arrogant. People like confidence and a pretty face, so at least you have that. But more importantly, don't beat little guys who are trying way too hard. Everyone loves an underdog.” Jack adds tip after tip, and it makes Chase’s head spin.

“Shouldn’t I, the fighter, just fight to win?” He says with a little of a huff in his tone.

“Oh, kid-”

“Kid?!”

“How are you gonna make a career out of this?” 

“A career? Oh,” Chase understands the joke but knows that the advice is sincere, “I see this is a failed attempt at humor.” 

Jack gives him a toothy grin and then looks up. It has been cloudy, but the wind picks up.

“Is the moon making act like this?”

“No. No, she is just coming out. I should go in and find a spot.” Jack takes the ribbon Chase carries and ties it on his right arm. “But I meant that. Pay attention to the audience, this crow looks friendly, but it takes a second for the public to go vicious.” 

“I’ll be fine.” Chase says instead of ‘thank you.’ He made sure to keep his eyes on Jack as long as he could, as did so many of the other fighters. As Chase expected, people will recognize Jack for his little stunt at the tavern. He fears what Jack said about the dangers of antagonizing the public might apply to him more than to Chase. 

The naga decided to trust Jack’s own expertise, and not meddle where he was not called. But he still felt nervous letting unarmed Jack out of his sight in a rough crow on the night before a full moon. 

Still, Chase trusts that Jack will make his best choices. 

A girl, the same height and face as Sunny, calls two numbers. She warns that a failure to answer is immediate elimination. Fighters rush to take their place, and the others wait anxiously. 

There was quite a variety of sizes and experiences between the participants. Chase recognized the novice eager fighters with shiny weapons and new armors. Large, heavy hitter confidence in their size. And, experience fighters sizing their next opponent. Some people talk, but most of them keep to themselves. 

Chase entertained himself, trying to identify weaknesses until he heard his number.

He moves to take his place, next to him an orch happily swings his maze and winks at Chase. He was only a few inches shorter than Chase, not counting his tail, but the orc was much more brawny. 

Poor Sunny stood between the two much larger men with his arms up, telling them to have a clean fight. 

Chase looks at the orc. He was young, but the scars proudly covering his arms and chest made it clear he has earned the right to be confident. However, Chase could tell the orc was used to receiving damage rather than moving judging by the placement of his scars. The choice of weapon was not the ideal to fight a naga either. But it looks like it could do some damage, so getting rid of it was the first action. 

The doors open, and Sunny lowers his arms, as the new fighters step into the arena people cheer excitingly. 

The room was big with a tall ceiling, not big enough to leave room to maneuver for two big creatures, but big enough to put some distance. The orc did, Chase stayed in place. 

The room has two floors, the first one separated by a thin fence, people sitting comfortably. The second floor has a balcony where people hangover to cheer and scream. A few children sit on the frame of a wide high window, the only source of ventilation in the room. 

The orc calls out to Chase, but Chase was too shocked by the noise to notice. There were people everywhere, watching, screaming, eating, their collective smells, and voices mixed into a single presence. To the naga, it felt like there were multiple enemies ready to attack. He was so entertaining trying to account for all the pair of eyes watching him diligently that he didn’t see the orc swing his maze at him until he was on the floor.

An angry pain rings on his head, and blood spills down his eye. The sounds of the crow whining in unison at his pain.

They were disappointed in Chase, they expected him to last longer not to end on the ground after the first hit. He looked up, in the balcony between strangers was Jack. The crow was loud, but Jack was a professional storyteller, and he could project his voice over any public.

“UP!” 

Chase pushes himself out of the floor, and he hears cheering. 

A second swing comes, and Chase moves out of place just in time. He hits the side of the fence, and he feels an electric shock bite his skin. 

“Magic barrier.” The orc explains, “first fight?”

“First audience.” Chase answers by keeping his distance. They inch closer and further away in a slow circle. 

“Stagefright?” The orc jokes before swinging again. Chase avoids the hit and retaliates by punching the orc’s inner elbow while his arm is extended with enough strength to force him to drop his weapon. 

The return to their little stand again.

“I’m getting over it,” Chase says, finding Jack. The crow is distracting, but Jack’s fiery red hair and white skin are easy to spot. 

“Don’t get distracted!” He says before making a go-to retrieve his maze.

But Chase expected this, he tackles the orc once he reaches that spot. The powerful tail wraps around him so fast that most of the audience misses it. One second the naga was looking away and the orc jumping, the next the orc was on his knees pinned in place by the tail with Chase looking from above. 

The orc struggled a bit, but it was obvious that he would get Chase off. 

“Don’t pick a dropped weapon,” Chase says. “Do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?”

“Please,” The orc still held his maze, but his arms were pushed over his head against his back. “Don’t patronize me.” 

Chase nods before hitting the orc on his jugular with enough strength to knock him out. The naga releases his grip and lets him fall on the ground. 

The public loves it.

Chase leaves while the orc is attended by a cleric. 

More people are called, and fewer and fewer fighters are left. Soon participants are fighting their second, third, or fourth round. Each round is exponentially harder. 

The participants that advanced are more skills than the last round resulting in a more challenging fight. At the same time, the more they fight, the more tired they become, and it comes down to endurance. People don’t longer talk by their third round, everyone rests but remains in movement. Not waiting to stay cold down.

Also, by every fight, the arena becomes more and more used; sweat, blood, and other fluid all mix on the floor, and the bleaches are filled with drunk patrons who scream nonstop. 

Every time Chase enters the arena, he looks for Jack. Through the fight, Chase concentrates on blocking the crow by searching for Jack’s voice alone. And, by the end, when he is victorious, he looks at the elf who gives him a huge smile. Jack looks at him and declares him the winner loudly, happily, and proudly. 

The other competitors give Chase looks after he returns, but they don’t say anything. A human, breathing hard at the end of his tolerance, glares at him openly.

Chase doesn’t bother. He attends his bruises and wipes blood out of his wounds. 

However, Chase has fought now four times, most participants finished their fourth round by now, but the human-knight just finished his second one. 

The Sunny-look-alike-girl calls for two participants, a half-tiefling, her fifth fight, and a half-orc, her fifth fight. 

Now that there were only ten left, the announcer was using names. The half-orc was Tessa, and the half-tiefling was Vepar. 

Chase recognized the other two, human and hobgoblin, but Vepar stayed quiet, and Chase didn’t find her until now. 

Another run passed. Chase was introduced with a question. ‘If anyone knew who was the deadliest fighter in the arena?’ A title that Jack had given him after every victory. The crow knew his name well, and Jack didn’t shy from spectators turning their attention to him. 

It was Chase’s fifth fight and ignoring the awful smell and overwhelming noise, he liked the audience. He lets the tension simmer and feels every pain multiple as people whine in his place. He enjoys the thrill of a formidable enemy able to hurt him. An enemy that raises up to a challenge instead of running for their life after Chase unhinges his jaw to access all his fangs. And before delivering the finishing hit, Chase looks in Jack’s direction and smiles. 

Ten finalists became five.

Chase was called for his sixth fight against Vepar.

It felt unfair as soon as they walked into the arena.

Vepar was by far, the smallest participant left. She stayed because she is a talented fighter, but Chase has shown to be ruthless. And the audience loves a merciless beast until an underdog walks in. 

Everyone held her breath, and Vepar was quick to put distance. They dance around each other. Chase has seen fighters three times her body weight being taken out in record time. 

Chase was, without a doubt, the strongest fighter able to overwhelm all his opponents, but Vepar was the quickest one. 

She stared safely from her corner. The half-tiefling was patience, and she could wait. 

Whispers start to rise up, and Chase decides he will just end it fast. He launches at her and the audience gaps. 

Vepar jumps up, higher than Chase thought she could and lands behind him. She tackles him with a knife in hand. She was able to stab his side, but that wasn’t her target. She meant to stab him in the kidney, a not-so-fast, and easy way to kill your opponent. 

Chase keeps his distance. So far, everyone fighting has only meant to incapacitate their opponent, but Vepar can't; she must use all her shots and take all the shots she gets.

She takes no time to cut the distance between them, and Chase uses his tail as a shield. She is too fast with the knife, and he believes that if she gets an opportunity to stab him in the throat, she will do it. She is also small and fast, making it hard to catch. If Chase gets his back exposed, he will be stabbed, no doubt. 

Vepar loses no time, she stabs the tail as many times as she can. She uses an angle to slide the blade between the scales, like a needle under a fingernail. 

There isn’t much he can do.

Chase tackles forward; once again, Vepar jumps, but the spine of a snake is impossibly flexible, and he turns mid-air to capture her leg. Chase swings her against the floor knocking all the air out of her, dropping her weapon. Vepar rolls out of the next attack and pulls a new knife out of her boot. Her eyes are cold eyes with her gaze fixed on Chase as she tries to catch up with her breath. 

Chase doesn’t let her. He uses the knife on the floor to knock it and chases her out of that corner. A new knife is produced, and Chase knows that getting rid of the knives is useless, he has to do something with the hand that wills it. 

He moves towards. This time he is able to capture her. He takes her hand, and she screams loud enough to stop the public. Vepar cries while suspended in the air by Chase. 

The public becomes upset and begins booing. 

Chase hasn’t crushed it yet. 

He glares into her eyes, unapologetic and apathetic. He cups her face, swings his head back, and hits her with his forehead knocking her cold. 

Then he drops her limp body on the floor.

Chase looks for Jack, who still smiles at him and cheers over the complaining crow.

Five finalists became three. 

And three became two.

Chase Young and Sir Felix.

When they entered the arena, Sir Felix was received with cheers. While Chase was taunted.

The naga didn’t pay much attention, he was much more worried about his blurry vision and light-headed feeling. The knife could have been poisoned. Or he lost much more blood than he thought as he sees the large red stains he paints everywhere he moves. The announcer asks if anyone wants to forfeit the match due to injuries. 

The question was open, but it was obviously directed to Chase.

Chase looks at the crow, all colors mixed into a bizarre painting, but he can still find the fiery red. He locks his eyes on Jack, and Jack gives him a soft smile. The audience quiets down to let the elf speak, but Chase goes first. The moonlight shines from the window into the arena, making the scene almost romantic.

“Don’t worry,” He says calmly, “I’m going to wind this.” Then he turns and straightens his postures. 

Chase was much bigger than the human, but he was badly hurt; bruises, open wounds, and deep cuts on his tail that have been slowly bleeding for hours. The once quick ruthless fighter that first entered the ring is now a cautious tired mess with maybe one last fight in him. He was tired. And the human was not.

Felix has weapons and armor, and his face was barely recognized and bothered the collective opinion of the public.

The second the announcer said ‘go,’ Felix drove his sword deep into Chase’s tail completely across into the dirt. The scream the naga let out was gluteal, emphasized by the elf’s cries. 

The human moves away and pulls a crossbow and shots without a second thought. 

People scream in disbelief as the arrow flies to Chase’s neck, but the naga captures it before it can hit him. The wooden arrow breaks in his hands, and he finds that funny. So delicate and deadly. Chase yanks the sword out his tail drawing more blood from his wound. He aims the bloody sword at this opponent.

“Don’t aim to kill if you are not ready to die.” He says before swinging the sword full force. The human was fast to pull his shield, but not strong enough to keep himself upright after the second blow. Chase takes the shield and throws it to the other end of the room. 

Felix tries to use a knife he hides in his boot, but his arms tremble too much, and Chase lifts the sword and drives it deep into the ground next to the human’s face. 

“Use it.” Chase golden eyes stare into the human’s blue ones. “Give me another reason to kill you.” He meant it, and in total fear, Felix peed himself. Chase couldn’t smell it in the mix of all body fluids, but seeing the growing stain made him laugh loudly. Some people joined, and others just stared at the naga in disbelief. 

Jack stares, he wipes the tears that still run down his face. Jack stares at Chase Young; bloody, victorious and laughing under the moonlight. It was to the elf, the most beautiful thing he has seen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took so long :O


	4. An Old Debt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The after match of the contest.  
> Jack and Chase spend a full moon together, the moon calls Jack stronger, and they build a bit of trust.  
> Chase doesn't understand feelings.  
> New camp spot!  
> A bit of plot

end Chapter 4

**An Old Debt**

The naga fell deeply asleep, and the moon elf hummed to himself absentmindedly, it was a miracle that Jack stayed instead of going to the moon. But tomorrow will be a full moon, and Jack won’t be able to resist. 

Jack spent the night looking after Chase and fighting Grammy’s grandchildren, Honey, Sunny, and Bunny, for what was a fair pay.

He accused them of knowing that the knife used by the finalist Vepar had a powerful anesthetic, identified by a healer, that prevented inflammation and helped the wounds to bleed out.

“You bitches knew she was making him an easy target for the next fight!”

“Weapons are allowed, that includes poison. We're going to talk to her about using anesthetics. But it changes nothing. Your champion gets 50 gold coins, that’s it.” Honey, the only sister, says.

“Bullshit! The prize money is 500 gold coins. And Chase didn’t cause 450 gold coins worth of damage.”

“Yeah, of course, he didn’t. He causes 136 coins worth of damage.” 

“Then!”

“The damage from all the participants is discounted from the prize money. How did you think we pay the medics to care for the fighter. Or you have preferred that your lover had to bleed out on the feast.”

“Shut it! He deserved to attend the feast. And it is very honorable of you to care for all the fighters, I think- I… I bet it helps keep attendance up.” Jack feels that sentence, and it feels right.

“Yes, that’s why all participants agree to the discount; that way, no one leaves with long term injuries.” Sunny finally speaks.

“And that’s why everyone bet on your little ring. They know they won’t make the money they deserved for the fight. It must suck if people find out how the fight was rigged from the start, and the actual winner gets peanuts, and a tail full with ‘minor’ stabs that have a high chance of infection.”

“Wait! Our contest is always honest. Maybe some fighters conspire between them, but we can't be held responsible for that.” Bunny. He was the oldest. Or so, Jack titled him. They were identical triplets, but Bunny was brawnier than both, a few scars pepper on his body, and a steady mean stare. He had been away most of the contest hunting wild boars for the feast.

“Oh, really, cause from the stands, it looks like two participants fought only three times. And one, a human, got to fight Chase after being stabbed 37 times with an anesthetic. You could call it luck if said human weren’t well rested after laying back for six rounds, while my fighter got three consecutive rounds before the very final one!” Jack was heated, and Bunny looked at his siblings.

“Yeah, I see we did you wrong.”

“He could have gotten hurt.” Jack felt tired, the moon was pulling on him, but he needed to stay for Chase. “For what? 50 coins. A fighter like him has so much potential. All could have been wasted tonight for a few more gold coins that no one got.” 

“You didn’t bet?” Honey asks, feeling guilty.

“We were passing by and got no money. I bet my five bronze coins, but not many bet against him.”

“I could see that,” Bunny admits. “I only saw the very last fight. When he looked like he was about to lose it.” 

“He has an excellent technique. A trained fighter.” Sunny adds.

“Oh, I know he doesn’t ride on his size alone. If he did, he wouldn’t have made it after receiving so much damage. He has experience.” Bunny crosses his arms and thinks. “The truth is that we don’t make that much money from the fights, the money is on the festival and food. The fight pays for itself but that’s about it. So I can’t offer you much compensation. Let me look at the books, and you go take care of your fighter.” 

“Thank you, and I would appreciate that.” Jack shakes hands with all the siblings; he doesn’t want enemies during this deal. “I hope we can meet for lunch tomorrow -later today.” 

“Yes, Grammy will be there.” 

“Oh, I hope she has slept with the whole ruckus going on.” 

The siblings assured Jack that their grandmother could sleep through everything, and Jack leaves for his room. 

The medic was just putting her stuff away.

“Good, I won’t have to leave a note.” She gives Jack a small brown bottle with a dropper. “Clean the wounds at the end of each day, two times a day if he moves much, and add one drop on the wound before reapplying the bandages. Please keep him off dirty surfaces. Those wounds are small but deep; he has a high chance of an infection.”

“Would he lose scales?” Jack asks, and the medic gives him a look.

“He might lose flesh.”

“He loves his scales,” Jack emphasizes. 

“All the stabs were in a space between the scales, an angle. Brutal little thing, I didn’t think so during the fight, but inspecting the wounds, she was going to bleed him slowly.”

“Scales?”

“Oh yes, sorry, long night. No, if he takes care, then I think he will keep all his scales. I can tell he shedded recently, so these scales are extra durable. But if he moves around, yes, scales will fall. And if he gets an infection, I’ll have to carve him like a potato.” 

“Understood. Keep him still.” Jack nods, and the medic goes to visit her last patient.

“Oh, I almost forgot: Sex. As soon as his ribs are better, have lots of sex. Lamia's immune system speeds up with sex. Lucky bastards.” She closes the door, and Jack can hear her quick steps down the stairs.

“I’ll pass that by him,” Jack says while putting the medicine in a safe surface, as away from the tail end as possible. He then walks to the bed where Chase sleeps. Or pretend to sleep. “Did you hear that?”

“Mm.” Chase was awake, but unfocus and dazed. “She talks a lot.”

“I think she is heavily caffeinated to stay away,” Jack sits next to Chase and wipes sweat from his forehead, “it has been a long night.”

“Did I. Did I pass out during the feast?” The golden eyes try to focus on Jack. “I hate to seem weak.”

“No, I drag you to this room to get examined. No one thinks you are weak, but I’m pretty sure the whole inn thinks you are pretty whipped.”

“I almost got beat. I need to train.”

“Not beat, whipped. Whipped by me.”

“Whipped?” Chase closes his eyes.

“You should have taken what the medic gave you.” Jack moves Chase short hair sticking to his forehead. 

“No, I don’t want to go to sleep.” Chase breathing slows down.

“I know,” Jack moves closer to get his space on the bed, and his hands find their place playing with Chase’s hair. “Whipped, as you are in love with me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Jack,” Chase laughs at the idea, “you are not that cute.”

Jack rolls his eyes. 

“You put on a good show, and I think we should use this on our advantage.”

“How?” Chase didn’t hear that whole sentence, but his brain offers the wrong words to fill the blanks.

“Well, defending my lover’s health and work is much more persuasive than a manager trying to squeeze some extra coins.”

“Squeeze me.” 

Jack tries to figure out what that means. 

“You are really out of it, eh?”

“Squeeze.”

“Mm?” Jack carefully puts his hands around the naga to give him a little hug, and the tail immediately joins secure than in a tight embrace.

“Thank you,” Chase says and falls asleep.

Jack stayed up for a few hours, thinking about their condition. They had been relying a lot on Chase's ability to travel. Now that it has been compromised, they should set a long term camp. They got some money, but in reality, neither of them understands the value of the currency, so who knows for how long they can make 50 gold coins last. And of course, now Jack will have to deal with the moon every night.

But little by little, sleep came.

The sunlight spilling into the room, and Jack struggles to get off the bed. 

Chase was deeply asleep, but still turns and complains as Jack untangles himself out of the tail’s grip. 

Jack goes down to get some food.

The inn was overfull, with patrons sharing rooms and others taking a discount to stay in the common room. 

People recognized him going down and asked about Chase.

“He is sleeping; some stabbed him like a lot.” Chase gives the half-tiefling a dirty look.

“My bad,” Vepar says without looking up from her bowl.

“‘My bad,’” Jack repeats under his breath but goes to the front to get some food. He spots Sunny managing the bar. “Hey, Sunny! Give me two wild boar stews, a whole pitcher of milk, and a pudding cup in the house.” 

“Ah, mm? Good morning, Jack. Right away.”

Jack rubs the sleep out of his face. Sunny appears much faster than expected.

“Here.”

“That was fast!” 

“We got things ready cause morning after a fight is always busy, do you want me to drop a pitcher of warm water to your room?” 

“Sunny, that would be amazing. Thank you!” Jack picks the platter and smiles at the boy.

“How is he doing?” 

“Well,” Jack makes sure to pout, “but he is still hurt. Usually, he wakes up first, I hope he feels better soon. I’ll make sure to let him know that the inn siblings wish him a quick recovery.”

“Here, let me add some bread for the milk.” Sunny places the bread over the empty cups, and Jack smiles. 

“Thank you! Starlight might guide you.” Jack walks, trying to figure out why he said that. He hasn’t heard anyone say that or think about that saying for fifty years. 

Jack swings the door open, and the smell awakens Chase. 

“Want some meat!” 

Chase sits up and moves his tail to give Jack some space to place the platter on the bed. The large tail spills over the bed lazily, and Jack pets an uninjured part. 

“Is that boar?” Chase picks his bowl and spoon and eats before Jack can answer. 

“Yes, and may I offer you a cup of warm milk?” Jack serves the cups, and both take a swing. The elf breaks a piece of bread and dunks on his milk. “You are popular down there.” 

“Mm? Nice to hear, is there a way we can use that?”

“Maybe, we are going to need a place to stay. Big and clean for you.”

“And with a good roof. How much is for a room here?”

“I don’t know. This one is on the house. I’m meeting with the owners later today and try to get us this room for one more day. Come if you feel up to it.” 

“I don’t think they will let us stay for long. They don’t have permits for the contest, so everyone leaves the day after, another reason to band-aid all participants the same night. Plus, some of the participants used this as a practice to enter into the Duchess’ tournament.”

“... And I thought I was the one getting all the intel.”

“The fighters talk a lot behind the arena.” Chase refills their cups, “they say that it’s better to camp than to pay for an inn before fall.”

“Are we in fall?” Jack takes his bowl before Chase could eat it and enjoys each spoon full. “This is delicious.” 

“Not yet, but soon.” Chase nods, “best meal I have in a while.” 

“I bet it is pricey. But it’s on the house!”

“How much did we get?” 

“50 gold coins and 34 bronze.” Jack takes the last piece of bread and cleans his bowl with it. “Also, everyone thinks we are in love. Let's keep that going.” 

“I can see how that happened,” Chase remembers fixating on Jack alone when facing the public.

“It’s good! More effective than just being strangers going alone together because of circumstances.”

Sunny knows with the warm pitcher of water he promised, he sets a washing bowl on a table next to the bed and takes dirty dishes. 

“Thank you, cutie!” Jack smiles, and Sunny blushes. He stands up to serve the water and ignores Chase’s glare on him. 

“I thought we were pretending to be in love, Jack,” Chase says while Jack lowers his face to feel the steam care his face. 

“Mh? Yes, so?”

“So, I don’t want my ‘beloved’ to flirt with others while I’m wounded in the same bed,” Chase says seriously, but Jack laughs.

“We just started pretending, and you are already jealous.” Jack laughs, and it sounds different than usual. A higher pitch, softer and sweeter. 

“The full moon is tonight,” Chase says, and that seems to ground Jack.

“Yes, I have heard her calling since last night. But it’s getting louder. Chase, when the moon is up in the sky, I'm going to see her. Please don’t let me.”

“I’ll keep you away.” Chase takes one of the towels from the table, damps it with warm water, and offers it to Jack.

“Thank you, but I’m going to be very annoyed about it.”

“I imagen, but it’s hard to tell because you are already such a wild elf. It’s difficult to see the line between you and the moon taking over.” Chase prepares his towels. It was so much nicer than old pieces of fabric.

“It’ll be hard the first month, but as time goes, the changes will become more drastic and longer. Until you will see the moon more often than you will see me.” Jack washes his face, sleep from the morning, and sweat from last night. 

Chase nods and continues cleaning himself. He has no words of comfort for Jack. As much as he wanted to promise Jack protection, he can’t, because how can he protect Jack from the moon?

“Tonight, you have permission to do whatever is needed to keep me out of the moonlight.”

“I will,” Chase says, not feeling worried for tonight. Jack was much smaller, and Chase knows how to hold him without hurting him by now.

“Good,” Jack says, taking off his clothes, Chase took a little longer to avert his eyes, but the naga made sure to look at the pretty decorations on the bowl while cleaning himself.

Once done with the washing, Jack washes his clothes and hangs them by the window. Chase prohibited him from standing near the window naked. 

They found a book in a drawer and passed the afternoon taking turns reading chapters at loud. Jack tied some bedsheets around him, and he read with too much emotion a grammar book. 

It should be a dreary afternoon, being bedridden, but it isn’t. Chase laughs at Jack, and he fails to capture even half of Jack's energy in the sentences. Jack tries to teach him about diction and pronunciation.

A knock on the door stops them.

“They must be here for me.” Jack jumps off the bed to retrieve his now-dried clothes. Chase looks at the slender body and strong tights before looking away. 

“Do moon elves care about nudity?” Chase asks but already knows the answer.

“Not really. Nothing sexy about a nude body. It’s how you present your body that makes it appealing.” Jack says, putting his shirt over his head. Then something occurs to him. “What about you? I assume naga were cool with nudity because you are naked like all the time.”

“I’m not truly naked, in the sense that I don't expose all of myself.” Chase hopes he didn’t send a wrong message.

“Oh, right.” Jack knows that lots of species had pouches to protect their genitalia. Some creatures tend to be very open about while others treat it like a very personal matter. Jack wasn’t sure which type was Chase. “Does it bother you?”

“No, just surprises me how-” the right word for shameless, “open you are about it.” Chase clears his throat, “I’m your traveling companion and will never hurt you. But worries me about others’ intentions.” 

“Oh, Chase, I don’t strip naked for everyone. We live together.” Jack gets his signature goggles and wears them like a necklace. 

“Okay. good, we clarified that.” Chase was the latter type. Jack giggles and moves to leave.

“You are great at pretending to be jealous.” He closes the door before Chase can defend himself.

Jack speeds down the stairs and finds a table to the back with Grammy and Sunny. The elf takes his time there, making a point to stop to talk to people that call him. He doesn’t approach anyone. He waits to be approached. People want to know about Chase, how he is doing? If he is planning on participating in the Duchess’ tournament? How is it to manage your lover? And other professional questions verging to personal?

Once Jack finally made it, he praised the friendly environment of the inn. 

“We do our best to make everyone feel welcome!” Sunny smiles.

“We enjoyed our stay, did I notice a stage by the fireplace? An interesting placement…” 

“We have meant to move it, but we are always too busy.”

“It must be hard to find barns that can perform next to a roaring fire?”

“We don’t need a barn,” Grammy says, not pleased at Jack's deliberate slow-paced to start their meeting. 

“If you have someone hired, I would love to see them.”

“Kid, I know you are trying to find a job here to get a room for your boyfriend. That won’t work out.” Grammy is unshakeable. “I bet you are a great performer, and that your fighter there has many talents, both of you are travelers up and down the road. You guys are just too unreliable.” She had years of experience backing her up. “By tomorrow, I'm going to have people from all the hills coming to prepare for the duchess’s week-long tournament. It’s good for business. So, you have until tomorrow after lunch to pack and go.” 

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Jack says honestly, “we will be done right after lunch. I’m sure you heard of the conversation I had with your kid last night. I don’t want to make a scene. I’m planning to leave by tomorrow, but a bit more coins will ease that transition.”

“You get your gold pebble back. And a few blankets.” 

“Thank you.” Jack bows his head, knowing this is the best he is going to get.

“You don’t need to be this formal with an old peasant woman like me.” Grammy lets a hearty dried laugh. And Jack noticed what he did. 

The moon is here.

He raises his head and leaves. The sunset colors shower the common room in beautiful shades of orange and red. 

Jack talks to a few people on the way back, but he keeps it short, ready to be alone. 

Upstairs, Chase was still reading the book, he acknowledges Jack but continues with his reading. The elf could almost hear her calling, his ears twitch, and Jack kept moving. 

Jack sits on the floor of the bed and explains their situation to Chase. The elf had a blank expression through the whole explanation, with pauses in odd places and repeating sentences. 

Chase pretended not to notice.

Honey comes by with their money and two plates of chicken and bread.

Jack repeats everything he explains to Chase again word for word and then tells him his head feels light and that he will go for a walk.

“Not tonight.” Chase states and Jack tries to argue that the moon is not out yet and that Chase can’t tell him what to do.

“Tonight, I can.” Chase states, and Jack angrily tells him that just cause he is bedridden doesn’t mean Jack has to spend every minute in the room. He walks to the door, and the naga’s tail wraps around him. The change in Jack's attitude was so fast.

“For tonight, Jack,” Chase explains, and Jack breaks down crying. It was intense and realistic, Chase almost released Jack, but he saw the silver halo in his eyes. The silver has grown, and it glows as the night becomes darker and darker. Jack whines and hugs the tail begging to be let out. He argues that it’s natural to want to see the moon. After all, he is a moon elf, and what would he be without her.

“Someday, Jack,” Chase says, and he should be resting because it’s so late in the night. Jack agrees, and he sinks into the bed next to Chase. He turns, and the red in those eyes is almost gone. The silver halo was a full ring eating Jack up. He smiles and caresses Chase’s face. Jack lets his hand wander lower and inches closer. 

“Kiss me again, and I’ll bite your face.” Even in his state, Jack knew Chase would keep true to his word.

“You don’t love me.” He whines one last time, and when he didn’t get the reaction, he wanted Jack turned aggressive. First kicking and punching without meaning to hurt Chase, just to make himself difficult to hold. The grip didn’t budge, so his acts became more extreme. Jack tries to dig his fingers into the first wound he saw. Chase captures the offending hand and the other, he wraps his tail tighter around Jack until the elf is completely immobilized. 

“I’ll scream.” The moon elf warms. At this point, the red in his eye was a sparkle buried behind all that silver. “I’ll scream until the whole inn is here. They will kill you, and I’ll go.” The smile Jack gave him was cruel because it was still Jack’s smile.

“You are terrifying, Jack,” Chase says before headbutting Jack with enough strength to knock him cold. But the elf barely blink.

“You can’t hold me. I’m not anyone’s tonight.”

A bruise formed immediately in Jack's forehead, and then the song of a rooster distracts both.

“Jack, the night is almost over.” Chase turns satisfied and sees Jack crying again. This time it was different, desperate, and quiet. 

“She is leaving.” The silver drips into his tears, and the bright red in Jack’s eyes returns dramatically.

“I’m sorry, Jack,” Chase says, and the elf falls asleep as soon as the moon is gone. He falls asleep in a second, exhausted from playing a tug of war game over his soul against a god.

They stay asleep, every so often one of them wakes up but too tired to be awake they return to sleep.

They pretend for a few hours until the sun is too high, and they have to start moving. 

They go over the motions of hygiene without speaking. 

Jack stares at his reflection, new bruises, and red puffy eyes.

Chase fixes his bandages.

They packed in silence and then sat on the bed. 

All bags were ready, plus some extra blankets, towels, and a pillow. 

The money is in a small sack., out of their shared bag.

“I’m sorry I was,” Jack looked around, he could have been worse, nothing was broken after all, “difficult.”

“You warmed me.” 

“It’s only going to get harder from now on.”

“How did you do this on your own?”

“Old werewolf way. But It isn’t usually this bad right away. I think it's because I’m turning of age.”

“Explain.”

“When a moon elf becomes one hundred years old, they can claim adulthood. They must complete a ritual, perform the 12 moons dance under the full moon on a body of water.” Jack stands from the bed and picks the money sack. “The dance is hard, but it's very common, dance at every party, so the dancing part is easy. The hard part is the calling of the moon. They say the moon comes to dance with you, and it might be too much for weaker elves.” He stays standing there, unsure of how to approach the subject. “She has called me for a long time now, but now that I’m approaching my first century.” Jack looks at the coins calculating how much would belong to each. 

“What are you trying to say?” Chase says and pats the space next to him on the bed. Jack hesitates but goes to him. 

“Is just that. It’s calling me, and you don’t have to be involved.”

“You don’t want me to be involved?”

“No, that’s not it. Is just messy and-”

“Embarrassing.” Chase fills in. Jack looks surprised. He wants to say that isn’t it, but it is. 

“Just, what kinda elf am I?” Jack feels old pains and insecurities he thought he buried many years ago resurface so fast and hard; it almost knocks the air out of his lungs. He felt like a child waiting for the doctors or his parents to explain to him why he was so weak. 

“Many magical creatures can’t separate their identities from their magic. You are having problems controlling your magic.” Chase takes a pause. This is the first time he has ever tried to comfort someone. “I heard it is more common than you think, people just don’t talk about.” 

Jack laughs at that, and a few tears spill when he closes his eyes.

“It just makes me feel so inadequate, and,” Jack remembers an array of emotions he hasn’t felt since he was a child, since he left his home fifty years ago, “like a burden. Useless.”  _ Not worth the trouble _ and the list goes on.

“Jack, I’m a skillful man, but I’ll be lost without your quick thinking and resourceful nature. I can’t speak about your magic, but I can say that I have never met a more ingenious and talented man.”

“Thank you,” Jack tries to take that face value.

“That’s why I can’t afford to lose your alliance. If you must continue on your path, go. But if you wish to, I would like us to continue to travel together.” Chase doesn’t cup Jack’s chin, but his hands move to hold him. He restrains himself, deciding to give Jack space. 

Jack stayed silent. He was sure that after his little show last night, Chase would deem him too much trouble to keep around. He briefly wondered if maybe Chase was trying to be careful, but the naga was too straightforward to play niceties. He kept his tongue from asking, ‘are you sure?”

“You are not allowed to regret that.” Jack warms and cleans his tears. 

“You are not allowed to cry again.” Chase picks the little money sack and puts it in their bag. Jack follows and takes the bag, and he doesn’t want Chase carrying things yet. 

“Pick a different thing cause I’m going to cry again. Now that there is no immediate dehydration threat, you should know that I’m a bit of a crier.”

“Oh, no.” Chase didn’t even notice he said that.

“What do you mean, ‘Oh, no’? It’s good for your soul!” Jack smiles, feeling incredibly lucky. 

“Not my soul or health. Every time you cry, I think you are dying.” Chase confesses, feeling the now-familiar heat of a blush coming.

“Oh, you will get used to it.” Jack laughs louder.

They go downstairs, and of course, people ask about Jack. 

Jack says that the moon has been turning, and he felt its calling during his sleep. So he tried to see her but fell off the bed and hurt his head. 

People pay attention 

“It didn’t look that bad last night,” Chase moves a red strand of hair out, not wanting to seem like an uncaring lover. 

“It’s not bad at all. I just bruise easily.” Jack presses his body against Chase, and that was enough to calm their spectators. 

They walk like that. 

They pick a table and order their stews. They consider ordering something new, but both still crave meat.

They converse about many things so naturally like Jack hasn’t disclosed something intimate that should reshape their relationship just last hour. Or maybe they have shared so much that it was part of their relationship now. Either way, they had to figure out where to sleep. 

“A room here is one gold coin,” Chase says, considering staying one more night, but they already pack everything. And Honey insinuated that another inn in town was cheaper. “Or we could check another inn in the village.”

“It’s a mostly human village, and they might not have a room that fits you.” Jack reminds Chase between spoonfuls. The meat in the stew was so tender and rich. It melts in his mouth, and he hum. Jack felt happy. “Maybe we go back to our last camp place?”

“No, it won’t do.” Chase thinks, “we need a good roof and a dried floor.” 

“We can use the blankets to make a tent.” Jack tries. 

“Something sturdier, since we are going to stay longer than a few days.” 

They take their respective last spoonfuls and stay on the table thinking. 

“Hey, Hey!” A moment of genius, “what about your place? The prairie.”

“It’s further than ideal, but besides that, it’s perfect.”

The pair smile satisfied and go to find their hosts. A quick goodbye, and thank you before leaving.

Then they were on their way.

Jack walks first, making sure the ground is not muddy or too irregular. 

They have a long way uphill to travel, and then a rock wall to climb. The midday sun was already irritating Jack’s ears and face even through the tree branches offering partial shade. He lived years in the desert and got used to the sting of sunburn. But Jack lets his skin rest for a few days, and it’s back to low sunlight tolerance.

He turns to mention his little thought to Chase, and wonders if he should. 

There was no tension in the air, or at least not from Chase. The naga moves with ease, just concentrating where he is going. Jack turns back to ahead and bites his lower lip, a bad habit he got rid off long ago flashes back. He wanted to apologize, but Chase has put whatever happened behind them. And overly apologizing might make things weird. 

But was it behind them? 

Jack turns again and walks backward a few steps. This time Chase noticed, but Jack turned back around before he could ask anything.

The elf shakes his head. It’s behind them, and they don’t have to talk about it.

But how could something be put behind so quickly? No, it can’t be put behind because it will happen again. It isn’t behind them; is merely on hold. And Jack can’t have things on hold.

Again, Jack turns to talk to Chase. 

Then he turns back.

“Are you lost, Jack? Or is there something you wish to say?” Chase asks, thinking that is a matter of time before Jack gets dizzy and falls.

“Um. I just wanted to say sorry.” Jack breaths out, feeling embarrassed and young, like a child. 

“For what?” Chase tilts his head honestly, contemplating what could be sorry for, but his quick mind reaches the right conclusion.

“For going to your childhood home! -if you wish to call it that. The prairie.” Jack’s mouth is faster than the average, and Chase allows the change of subject. “You didn’t seem very happy to be back there, and I didn’t even ask if you like it. Sorry for, um, being insensible.” 

Chase nods to each sentence and takes his time formulating an answer.

“It’s shocking to be back. For one, I never thought I would see the prairie again.” Chase confesses, and Jack nods, having places he wishes never to see again. “It’s where I hatched and grew into an adult, but it wasn’t my home.”

“Oh,” Jack says, feeling very uncomfortable, “I'm sorry. If you want to, we can go back or camp at some other place. We don’t have-”

“That’s the shocking part.” Chase interrupts. “You act as if it should be my home. And it might be an elf thing, but the prairie is not my home; it’s the place where I hatched. Nothing more, nothing less.” 

“Oh.” Jack nods, “oh, okay. I guess that must be a naga thing.” 

They walk in confusion for a bit. Jack pulls out his watch from his pocket; there are a few more hours to go. Thankfully his legs are still used to walking long distances on his own, but he momentarily worries if he will get spoiled and not want to walk in the future.

“Jack?” Chase calls.

“Mm?”

“Is the place where you were born, your home?” The question was soft, and Jack can tell that it holds a different meaning.

“It’s my childhood home. But it’s different for me cause I come from a nomad elf moon clan, we moved a lot growing up.” Jack keeps remembering things he wishes he forgets for good one day. “We have a route to follow the moon and the best of the seasons, so we repeat spots every few decades. When you go to the camp you were born, there is a special thank you dance you are supposed to perform. It was the dance I knew best, so I like to dance it for my family.” 

There is something sad about Jack. Something that has been there for a long time, but it’s now being pulled afloat. Chase has one more question to ask, but it would be for another day when his companion’s back doesn’t look so defeated.

“A dancer?” Chase asks instead, “a true master of all.”

Jack laughs and blushes to the complement. 

“I have heard by all accounts that I’m terrible. But maybe I will dance again if beer is involved.” Jack felt a tingle of nostalgia. Not the sad and old feeling he keeps trying to ignore. But a good memory for a change. 

“I enjoy dancing as well, but I rarely have a partner.”

“Oh!” Jack turns and runs towards Chase, “you know what this means?!”

“That our dancing styles are bound to be drastically different.”

“More reasons to get drunk and try!” Jack felt overjoyed at the possibility of dancing again. Suddenly memories of home all faze to spinning and laughing while music plays. It was a happy thought, to do it again but in anywhere else but home. 

“Yes,” Chase can’t fight against Jack’s bright smile, “It will be fun to dance. I’m curious about how it might look.”

Jack chuckles at the mental image. 

“Maybe we can dance at the Duchess' tournament,” Jack moves ahead, thinking of attending a great dance with silk and gold clothes, “we are going, right?” He turns his head.

“I assume we will be off by then. My injuries should heal in a week, and I’m generous with the time to protect my scales.” Chase says firmly, “also, the admissions fee is 10 gold coins.” 

“10?! What? Why? 10 gold coins? Who has that money?”

“The rich, Jack.”

“Oh right,” Jack stops, remembering the four bags of jewels they left at the desert, “we are dirt poor.” 

“We won some coins,” Chase pushes Jack light to keep going. He thinks of his palace and all the treasures that just slip through his fingers, “a humble amount, but,” Chase couldn’t finish. It was depressing.

They keep going in comfortable silence. 

The sun lowers its face, and Jack’s tights burn from the walk upwards.

Jack spots a carving in a tree, not letters he is very used to, but he can recognize them as an old language, one he can’t name.

“What do you think that says?” Jack points with his head, and Chase looks at the symbol.

“My tree.” 

“Ha! Funny, I wonder if it's warming.”

“It is.” Chase explains, “not a very clear one. It says ‘my tree,’ as, ‘if you take my tree I’ll hunt you and skin you alive.’”

Jack blinks at the precise translation.

“You can read that?”

“Yes. I wrote it when I was a child.”

“Oh! How cute!” Jack walked to the tree; it was tall and still going strong. “This tree must be like 1000 years old!”

“Must trees are, the soil here is very fertile, and old magic sleeps on the ground. Plants here live a long time.”

“Woah.” Jack looks around. “You gotta give me a tour.”

“Later, before we leave.” 

They keep moving, and they reach the rock wall by sunset.

No way around, Chase has to carry Jack and drag himself over the rock way. 

Once they make it to the other side, Jack hurries to the cave and prepares their bedding before losing the last of the sunlight. 

Both felt something odd entering the cave, but it was so subtle, they convinced themselves that it was the long walk and let it be. 

Jack found a dark cave with a rock floor, and he layers the blankets to make the thinnest bedding, but it will at least cut the cold slipping from the floor up to his bones. Well, Chase’s.

Chase undo the dirty bandages, and Jack offers him a wet rag to clean the wounds. They added with care the medicine on all the cuts, it burns, but Chase believes that might be a good thing. Jack wasn’t of much use in the dark, unable to see he just sits there waiting for Chase. The naga twists his body to reach all the wounds, and when he is done, he moves to the bedding, it is simple, but it will protect his human half.

“Jack,” Chase calls and places his tail near Jack so the elf might use it to guide himself in the dark. 

Jack finds his way and stumbles over Chase. He struggles until the side of his face is flat against Chase’s chest, and the rest of his body presses over the long tail. Not a bad position at all, the elf cuddles against the chest and puts an innocent hand over it. Not their usual position, but it was much more comfortable. 

Jack noticed that the tail had not yet wrapped around them. Instead, Chase pulls Jack higher, until Jack's face is on a pillow and Chase’s face against Jack’s chest. Only then, the tail wraps around them, forming a little cocoon. 

“Pff,” Jack complains and tries to wiggle away. But the tail lays over his back and legs, and Chase’s arms hug him tightly in place. Usually, they sleep on their side, but the rock floor won’t allow that. Chase is on his back since he is more resistant, but having Chase still rest on his chest even when the naga was under was a weird sleeping position. Ignoring that it has to be uncomfortable for the naga, Jack’s body was elevated, and his head sunk to reach the pillow. “Okay, I’m not sleeping like this!” Jack pushes, but there is no point until Chase untangles them. 

“Jack, aren’t you tired?” Chase's voice is muffled under Jack.

“Yes, but this is too uncomfortable. Please release me,” Jack asks when noticing Chase is still holding him still. Jack climbs down until he is in a more comfortable position, using Chase’s chest as a pillow and lining his body along the tail. “Is it this better? I get a premium pillow,” Jack presses his face against one of Chase’s pecs. The thick skin and soft relax muscle will do fine by Jack. 

“Jack, I won’t ask you to put yourself in such a position.” Chase picks Jack with ease and returns him to their previous position.

“No!” Jack tries holding Chase's sides, like a cat refusing to give its warm spot. “I like this position. Why do you want to be crushed under me?” 

“Crush? You are a summer blanket,” Chase says as Jack goes back down to his chest.

“Still, how is this not more comfortable?”

“It is more comfortable. But, you don’t have to give me another advantage over you.” Chase says, and Jack props himself with his arms. He couldn’t see, but Chase could see the confusion in Jack’s face. “I’m much bigger than you. If you were in need to defend yourself, you would find that you have no means.”

“Defend myself? I didn’t know you were planning on attacking me in my sleep.” Jack snorts at the thought. 

“I would never, but I understand if you put a distance to protect yourself.” It made sense to Chase, and Jack was small like prey; he needs some sort of stand to fight off a bigger predator.

“What distance? You cuddled me so tightly. There is no distance.” Jack laughs and spreads his legs to each side of Chase’s tail, just at the area where flesh and scales meet and sit up. Jack has been so far kind by not mentioning the cuddle bug that the naga is. “For the warmth, of course.” A mischievous smile spreads in the elf’s pretty face. 

“A mean,n exit Jack.” Chase was distracted by their new position. “I’m bigger and stronger. It could be dangerous for you if I decided,” the naga looks at the wide smile in Jack, and those long eyelashes look down at him, “you make a good meal.” 

“Don’t decide that,” Jack confidently laughs at that.

“Jack-”

“But if you did, then there isn’t a thing I can do,” Jack rocks back and tilts his head towards the ceiling of the cave. Everything was dark, and he concentrated on the tail that carefully shifted under him, he placed a hand in front of him for support tickling the human flesh. “Just now, you prove your hold over me is absolute unless you wish differently.” Jack was talking about the moon then, because Chase, unlike the moon, listens and respects him. He flattens his hand over the skin and feels soft muscle flex instinctively to the feather touch. The belly of a snake.

“No, Jack, you are a fighter.” Chase sounds much closer. Jack looks back and finds Chase’s face a few inches from his maybe closer as he feels his breath. “You don’t submit to an opponent simply because they are larger.” 

“And a god?” Jack asks half-joking, and his entire body is swing mid-air. “Eek!” He finds his back against the rock floor. It didn’t hurt, Chase made sure not to drop him down. The naga made sure to have as much physical contact with the elf as possible to aid him since Jack couldn’t see. 

“You might be small, but you know how to make yourself dangerous,” Chase whispers in Jack’s ear and moves lower until he is at his rightful place over Jack’s chest. He takes Jack’s hand and guides it over his silhouette and rests it over his exposed neck. Then he takes Jack’s tight, a surprised gasp leaves the elf, and Chase feels his way until he reaches the boot. Since they left the desert, Jack has been wearing his shoes to bed to avoid insects, but Chase knew better. He dips his finger in looking for the knife he has seen Jack hide in his boot many times but finds a naked ankle instead.

“It’s in the bag,” Jack says and moves his hand from Chase’s neck to his hair. It’s a bit longer since he cut it, and Jack plays with the strands, “I take it off at night.”

“Uh?” Chase stays there feeling rather foolish.

“So, this sleeping position is allowing me a single quick blow that could potentially take you out?” 

“Incapacitate me. I have seen that knife Jack, can’t take an apple out of a branch.” Chase lets the leg go and is surprised when Jack hooks it around his waist. Jack laughs loudly, echoes in the caves.

“I assumed you wanted to be a pet.”

“I was surprised, but I was not about to complain.” Chase closes his eyes, feeling a heavy blush on his cheeks and thankful that Jack in blind in the dark.

“You were there? Making yourself an easy target?”

“I was giving you an advantage to even the field!” Chase hisses, unconsciously curling his tail around them. “You let me use you as a heating rocking putting your life at great risk. I thought that you would feel more at ease if you notice you have at least one easy punch.”

Jack laughs.

“It did help. But I was thinking about poking one eye out, not stabbing you in the neck. In the mess of my home, a weapon was always close.” Jack confesses.

“Then where is your weapon now?”

“Where is your weapon?” Jack counters, but Chase could end Jack with any limb. 

“My life depends on staying in your good graces.” Chase deadpans, and Jack laughs bubbles up. 

Chase feels the ripples of happiness in Jack’s chest and waits until it is over to move next to Jack, eye-level even though Jack can’t see him. He moves close enough that Jack can feel him. 

Chase waits because he knows Jack is still thinking in an answer. 

Jack has been busy dealing with the changes, the moon, and his memories. That doesn’t mean that he wasn’t thinking about his traveling companion. Chase Young just requires less effort than everything else. Chase was smart, determined, and dangerous. He listened back in the desert and asked for Jack to decide to come. Chase was honest to Jack, and never dismissive. Now that they had been traveling for over a month together, and just two months of knowing each other, they shared resources evenly, and not even once has Chase tried to cheat him out of something. 

The tail moves over his legs, enough pressure to feel the weight but not enough to hurt him. Besides their very first encounter, Chase has shown to care for Jack’s well being. 

Of course, Jack has done his best to keep such a good ally on good terms.

But when the moon pulled him, Chase grounded him. To Jack, that was the greatest proof of loyalty. 

He turns to his side despite the harsh floor and sinks into the touch of his travel companion. Jack then breathes out his dreadful conclusion.

“There is no weapon, Chase, because I trust you.” Jack pushes the naga to his back, and the naga agrees to the movement. 

And he stays very quiet. 

Chase lets Jack climb over him and rest on his chest. 

The last time someone said that to him -The last time he trusted someone, he ended up betrayed and utterly robbed of everything he had.

Jack didn’t expect Chase to say anything after, but he waits until the tail wraps around them. Once the tail blankets the pair, Jack falls asleep. 

Chase stays up for a few more hours, wondering if Jack trusts him or the moon. 

Uncertain about many things, Chase still finds himself comfortable and warm, so he falls asleep.

Chase wakes up minutes after the sunrise. He untangled his tail from Jack, and wonders if he made a mistake by staying so close to the elf. 

The naga leaves the cave and takes his bizarre situation. It becomes odder by the day. But it couldn’t be much worse, so he is ready for the day. 

When he leaves the cave, he feels something different in the prairie but is gone so fast that Chase concentrates on the problems of his ever-growing list.

He looks at the sun, takes a deep breath, and lifts his arms slowly up. Stretching his arms and back, all the way down his upper tail. 

Bruises and cuts were still fresh, but he takes the blame from most of them. After all, he had been so busy with racing to who knows where that he had neglected his training.

After all, just because the world Chase knew ended in the blink of an eye didn't give him an excuse to be undisciplined. Chase practices his exercises slowly, letting his body remember the movement. And the routine, engraved in his brain after a century of practice, returns to him. Just like breathing, his memory tends his mind, and he feels light and strong at the same time. 

Chase repeats his routine past noon, and Jack finally leaves the cave. 

“That floor is gonna kill my back.” Jack yawns and stretches his arms. He is too distracted to feel what is under his feet. “Oh, dancing?”

“Self defense training.” 

Jack moves to another place to watch Chase. He looks at the precision and gracefulness of the naga’s movements. 

“It’s pretty,” Jack says to himself, and then moves to explore the place. 

The terrain was pretty big, and the grass was tall and very green. 

He saw a little bunny jump-off, and he ran after. 

Jack spent a good hour chasing that bunny before falling tired to the ground.

“What do you call that exercise?” Chase asks from his spot.

Jack stays on the ground and lifts his arm, making an offensive gesture. Chase found it funny. He moves closer to Jack, and the elf sits up.

“That could have been dinner.” 

“Too small.” Chase helps Jack up, still feeling weird but not as much after taking the morning to himself. 

Jack didn’t know this, but nagas don’t trust other creatures. They can have their loyalties but not their trust.

“Little meat is just as tasty as big meat.” 

“Oh, I assume you might prefer the mother.” Chase cups Jack’s chin and tilts it to see a small hole in which the little bunny jumps in.

“AHA!” Jack jumps up and looks around for a place to set a fire. “You can run, bunny, but you can’t hide.” 

“There is an over we can use,” Chase says and moves to another part. Jack looks back at the little den before following Chase. It was an oven made out of rocks, vines had grown on it and wet dried leaves accumulated where the firewood should go. But it was in good condition.

“Look for firewood while I clean this,” Jack says and takes the knife out of his boot. Chase stays observing Jack cutting the vines with his knife. It wasn’t the sharpest knife, but it was still a good weapon. 

“Why do you trust me, Jack?” Chase asks honestly. 

“Why didn’t you leave me behind?” Jack counters. “When I told you that I was going to be a huge inconvenience? Or when I act so weird the night of the full moon?” He uses his knife to snap vine after vine.

“Because I want you to continue to travel with you.” 

“Even after I told you it would get worse.” Jack stops and raises an eyebrow.

“You are very resourceful, Jack. Your fast thinking and countless skills are useful, and I’m sure will continue to be.” Chase frowns, wondering why this has to do with his question. “And your company is nice.”

“Yeah,” Jack smiles at the praise and goes back to fighting with an especially sturdy vine, “I believe you. Everything you say, I believe, because you are a man, or a snake, of your word. And I trust you to come through.” 

“You don’t know me, Jack. This time we spend together is but a blink in time.” 

Jack stops and looks at his knife. Moon elves are one of the friendliest races out there, and with the moon just coming out of her highest point, Jack was still a bit drunk on her power. A bit more naive than usual.

But his red eyes were genuine.

“But, I like you.” 

“I’ve shown you to be trustworthy. Once again, I can’t decide for you, Jack” Chase says a bit loud and leaves to get firewood. He can blame the moon.

Chase takes his time looking for firewood. However, it was not easy. The trees surrounding the prairie were too close to each other, and Chase could barely get an arm through. He has to climb for small branches and dried leaves.

After an hour, he has enough and redundantly goes to drop them to the now-clean fireplace. But Jack wasn’t there anymore. 

The naga finds himself missing Jack, and wishes the elf didn't make things unnecessary weird. 

He finds Jack kneeling inside a fended up piece of soil.

“There are spices here!” Jack declares when he sees Chase coming close.

“The herb garden is still going?” Chase was surprised and took a handful of sage. It smells nice. His mother used to tent to that garden religiously, and never let anyone but her touch it. Chase hasn’t thought about it in a long time, but he remembers it big. But it was Jack’s size.

“And cilantro, parsley, mint, thyme, and freaking ginger root!” Jack hasn’t had season food in a while. “It’s a bit messy, but I think I can clean it up.”

“I didn’t know you like gardening.” 

“I don’t. I hate gardening: the dirt, the bugs, the hard work under the sun. But I like food. I’ll take my food where I can get it.”

“I like gardening,” Chase chuckles, surprised that someone could look so excited to do something they hate. 

“Then it’s all yours!” Jack moves out and tries to push Chase to go inside. The naga resists, and Jack falls flat against his back. “Hey?”

“Sorry.” Chase advances and goes to inspect the damage. The mini garden was run up with grasses and weeds. Even more weeds than the outside. “I was never allowed here.”

The little door has fallen over, and Chase tries to see how to go, but in any direction he might go, he will destroy the garden. How did his mother ever fit in there?

“Oh, where did you play?”

“Not in my mother’s garden,” Chase says so quickly it surprises them both. They laugh at that. Chase moves away, “Here.”

Jack follows him to a tall tree stump. The naga brushes some leaves off with his hand and hands Jack, a rock sculpture of a fish. It wasn’t very good. It was irregular and all rocky instead of smooth. It looks like the drawing of a child. Then another one of a bear, same artists it seems.

“Wait.” Jack takes the third one of a snake, “is this a toybox?” 

“...I suppose. These are sculptures, my siblings, and I would do to pass the time.”

“Siblings? You have siblings?” 

“Yes,” This was something Chase has been avoiding to talk, But maybe this will open up Jack’s eyes. “I killed them long ago.”

There were so many emotions that passed through Jack at once, that his brain shuts down for a second.

“Is that...common? Or should I be scared?” 

“You should scare, Jack,” Chase says, “but it’s normal. Nagas are territorial creatures and will kill you if you threaten them.”

“Okay.” Jack nods at the bit of information he just got. “So that you know, I am an only child.”

“With whom did you fight?” Chase wonders how did Jack develop that strong personality of his if not through murder. 

“My parents mostly.”

“Oh.” Chase looks at Jack carefully, “did you ...win?”

“Well, I’m here.” 

Chase said an exclamation in a language Jack has never heard. But he lets the conversation drop. 

They move back to the oven.

Chase lights the fire, and Jack makes herb bundles. The naga goes to pick the bunnies from their den, one by one. He kills guts and skins so fast that when Chase takes them to Jack, they are still twitching. Jack closes his eyes and doesn’t open then again until the bunnies have been stuffed with the herbs, stabbed with a stick, and placed in the oven above the fire. 

Chase laughs at his squeamish companion and licks the fresh blood. He sends Jack to clean the skins, but he refuses.

“I’m going tomorrow to the market. Get some stuff.”

“Do we need stuff?” Chase asks from out of sight while cleaning the bunnies’ skins with Jack’s knife.

“A better bedding, some bottled up magic if it’s not too pricey, a map or two, dried food supplies to take in the road, a book to pass the time, and maybe a hat for me.” Jack says, looking at the sky, “maybe some new clothes too. I feel like these might get too much attention. But more importantly, I want to see how pricey things are.”

“Get some candles too,” Chase adds, and Jack smiles from his side. “Would you be fine going up and down on your own?”

“Yes, it's much better than the desert.” Jack reminds him that he used to be a guide walking days at the time. 

Chase lets the skins out to dry so Jack can take them for trading tomorrow.

They both spend in comfort until the smell of meat calls them. The spices made a considerable difference, but without salt, the meat tasted too much like flesh.

“I’m also getting salt tomorrow.”

“You don’t like the taste of meat.” Chase bites his still pink-and-bloody bunny. 

Jack closes his eyes and waits until the sound of meat being rips stops. 

“This is why I like fish.” He says. When Jack opens his eyes, he sees Chase with a smug smile like he proved something he has been trying to convince all day. 

They shared the little water they have and talked about the logistics of Jack getting some on his own or waiting one more day to get some with Chase.

They decided on the latter and cleaned up as the night came.

Jack explains that the moonlight makes him more impulsive, and it will fill him with more magic than he can handle. But he has to worry about the full moon. When the moon is not full, she doesn't call as loud. So Jack leaves the moonlight with a slow step, and as he is about to enter the cave he notices something on the floor. 

Small, easy to miss discoloring on the soil. 

A circle of lighter sand, and a small portion of dead grass. It was odd because right next to it the grass was tall and green. Jack sits down to look at the abnormality closer, he was about to call for Chase, but the name died in his mouth. 

Chase noticed where Jack was kneeling, the place where he learned how to make gold, and moves to congratulate the elf of his magic mastery.

Jack touches the sand over, and while he is weak at sensing magic, there was nothing in that stop. He knew it. Understanding washes over him faster than a rainstorm forms in the desert. 

And when Chase arrives, Jack is crying.

The crescent moon is on his eyes and looks at Chase with anger. 

Chase looks down. The first where they took the gold from was inert now. 

He knew this, has always known this. There was no way that while making the spell, he didn't notice. But it was a small price to pay for gold. 

Jack felt sick. While he didn’t care for magic as much, he understood that it was a core element in their world, and to take it from an element was unholy. 

The wind picks up as new understanding adjusts previous judgments. 

“How do you put it back?” Jack's voice carries over the land, and Chase feels it’s power. 

“You need the gold you conjured,” Chase says, and before he could continue, Jack was looking through their bag for the gold pebble. 

The elf goes back to the floor and places the gold pebble over the circle.

“And now?”

“Jack,” Chase wanted to explain how in the desert sand, you don't see the difference as drastically. And how he wanted the jewels and the prestige they came with so much that it blinded him. He was young and stupid and didn’t know better. And now. Now Chase wants to explain, “listen-”

“And now what?”

“Jack,”

“I don’t want to know!” Jack was angry because he understood why the Calidi-Issimo desert was a death trap, and the precious jewels and treasures cursed. And now, he also knew who did it. “I don't hear it, not now.” Jack breathes between his tears. “I want to reverse it.” His voice wasn’t soft, but it was forgiving. “So, now what?”

“A spell, it requires no magic. It will use the magic that is leftover from the first spell. Manus meas et liberabo te aperire. Say it one breath.”

Jack nods and tries, but nothing happens. He tries again immediately, and nothing happens again. And again. 

“Jack,” Chase moves closer, and Jack hiccups between the words. 

Jack was thinking about the thirty-five years he spent in the desert, Guppy going to the desert every day to collect at least a gem, and Pretty who has been working for so long. How none of them know that they saw the man that built their little piece of hell, and they said goodbye. Chase left the desert; he cursed, and everyone else stayed.

“Fix it.” Jack puts the gold into Chase’s hands. “Please fix this.” 

The naga looks at Jack’s crying face and nods. He puts the rock over the sigil and chants. “ _ Manus meas et liberabo te aperire _ .”

Soft green light shines from the soil, and the gold breaks into specks. He pushes the gold into the soil, and it remerges it into the ground. Once Chase removes his hand, two globs of yellow light appear, the magic they used for the spell. He holds them with his hand and looks for a container, but he can’t move when he sees Jack. The elf seems exhausted.

“I’m going to bed.”

Chase nods and holds the magic close to him.

“I’ll stay out.” 

Jack nods and leaves, before disappearing into the darkness of the inter caves he calls.

“Don’t stay out for too long.” 

“I won’t,” Chase says, but he isn’t sure if Jack heard him.

Chase stays out, looking at the moon. 

He closes his hand and takes in the magic, it isn’t much, but it will come useful. He tried to warm Jack, and he tried to explain. 

He enters the cave, and tentatively takes his space next to Jack. Chase was surprised when Jack climbed over him, like he did last night, and took his new spot over his chest. 

“Okay,” the elf says, holding the watch he made, “explain.”

Chase tries to. He tells him about how nagas keep treasure and care for no one. So sacrificing the magic out of his territory for riches and power seems like a fair trade. He doesn’t say how he didn’t know what would happen or how lasting would the damage be.

It had been one pretty jewel for a handful of sand in a desert. 

Intention and greed were the beginning of his downfall. 

Jack listens carefully, nodding every so often and lightly caressing his chest. 

“I see.” Was all Jack said at the end.

They fall asleep, emotionally exhausted. 

The next morning they get ready in silence. 

Chase noticed that they stayed close after last night. 

Jack empties the bag and takes a few coins, unsure of how many should take. Jack takes some and puts some back.

“Take half,” Chase recommends, and Jack nods and does so. He doesn’t talk at all. 

Chase leaves the cave and does the same exercises as last morning. 

Jack leaves the cave ready and asks for help through the rock wall. 

“Chase?” He points at the wall, and Chase goes to help.

Once on the other side, Jack waves goodbye, and that was all they said to each other.

Chase returns to do his exercises. Once done, he cleans the little garden his mover used to have and makes a pit for gutting. He captures some rabbits and bleeds them over the soil that drinks the blood eagerly. 

He makes the fire and cooks the meal, and the sun is descending. 

Chase sits near the fire and closes his eyes. He clears his mind of everything and meditates in what is important.

He thinks of the path he has taken so far and how he feels now that he deserves the present he has.

Chase hears his name, and when he opens his eyes, the sky is pink.

“Jack.” Chase hurries and helps Jack climb the wall.

The elf says his thank you but not much after.

Chase offers some food, and Jack takes it hungrily. He returns the favor by offering Chase some fruit.

They eat in silence until it is time to go to sleep.

Jack lit a candle with the fire’s dying charcoal before heading back to the cave. Chase noticed how big the bag was but chose to say nothing about it.

Once inside, Jack speaks a bit more. About how busy the market was and how pricey things are. He said that a musician he met during the contest told him of an audition going on—an audition with a free royal meal. 

“It’s in four days.” 

Chase stays silent, unable to take Jack’s olive branch. 

“We should go. We audition, get some fancy free food, and we are on our way.”

Chase goes to lie in bed, and Jack follows him with the bag full of new goods.

“I went a bit overboard. I might be a stress shopper when I have money. Who knew?” Jack tires but no response, “Chase?”

“Yes,” Chase looks out of his daze, “sorry. I was thinking about something.”

“What?” Jack asks, but he knows already.

“I should go back.” He says clearly.

“Are you going?”

“I don’t want to,” Chase says instead of answering. “I don’t want to go back there.” The Calidi-Issimo desert is where his old life ended. This one is new, something he is building after everything went to shit. This one is a work in progress and a world of new emotions, and Chase likes it. But he must turn all the rocks before paving a new path. “But I must.”

They stay in silence for a long time.

“What about me?” Jack asks so softly. 

“It will take me a long time to undo each of those jewels.” Chase lets out a dry laugh. “You will be fine, Jack. You are more resilient than most.” Chase cups the elf’s face, his eyes shine with new tears.

“I'm going to stay here for a while, work, and get some money. Then traveling down towards the sea, I heard rumors of a library with all sorts of information.” Jack says and ignores the things he bought. They will talk about logistics later. Tonight, Jack climbs on Chase’s lap and rests his head on Chase’s chest. “You know,” Jack says from his position, “if that didn’t affect people I know or me. I would say fuck it.” Jack considers his own morals. If he had the power to make gold, he would use it. It's going through the desert path that makes his skin crawl and his stomach flip. 

“I think I might do the same, but, Jack,” Chase wonders if he should trust Jack with that information. “Most of those gems were done in a single spell using magic, that magic that I accepted.” Chase doesn’t finish, and Jack assumes he means from the sun. “I want to get rid of it.”

“Mm.” Jack pushes his face against Chase’s chest, unwilling to accept that this will end soon. Chase curls tighter than ever and tentatively plays with Jack’s red hair. They talk a bit more about nothing until the candle burns itself out 

And a bit more, until Jack falls asleep. 

Chase stays awake. He looks ahead at the silhouette of grass and the wind that light dances with it.

When Chase was young, he left for the desert to build himself a kingdom. He worked day and night to master magic and make his palace. But he lacked the capital, so he created a spell to allow him to create jewels and gold out of the ground. It hurt the desert, but the land healed, Chase saw it. Then he got greedy, and he made a deal.

In one day, Chase depleted the sand of all it’s magic and created himself a fortune so grand it will never end.

The naga untangles himself from Jack and steps out as the first ray of sunlight breaks the sky. 

From the center of the desert, he reached all land at once. 

Chase moves over the cold grass and turns in a wide circle. His tail leaves behind a darker color after wiping the morning dew. 

Jack wakes up, feeling the lack of a body next to him. He goes to see Chase making a sigil in the grass. 

“Chase?”

The sunrise shines above, and the sigil Chase made glows. He calls upon the magic he took from last night—a simple spell of fast travel to send a message across the land. 

Chase closes his eyes, and he can feel the scalding heat of the desert sun and the dead sand under his scales.

“ _ Manus meas et liberabo te aperire _ .” The ground beneath them trembles, and magic shakes the dirt, and it travels far. 

The spell travels [ast the hills and the Oasis. It breaks all the gems the lamias wear, piles of jewels transform into rich dark dirt, and it shakes the little town so violently that people hold their houses to keep them up, and ripples in the sand traveling the desert and past the broken pieces of once a great palace. At the foot of the palace, all rocks had been turned and objects examined by a band of heroes. They stare at the ripple in the sand that travels without wind.

“That’s pretty interesting magic.” One point before looking where it came from.

“Chase!” Jack calls from the cave, and Chase opens his eyes. He was at the prairie.

“Jack,” 

“My watch!” Jack explains from inside the cave, and Chase hurries to see.

The watch wasn’t working due to being full of sand.

“What happened there?” Chase inspects the sand, and it knows where it comes from.

“The gold pieces I used to make the inner workings became sand!” Jack explains happily and jumps to hug Chase.

The naga looks at the sand between his fingers before smiling widely and returning the hug. He lifts Jack from the ground and spins happily. 

“How?!” Jack asks once Chase has stopped spinning them. 

“I didn’t think it would work,” Chase starts, “the spell to make gold or a gem requires magic but the reverse spell doesn’t. Because a jewel is not, it’s the true shape, it requires something to change, but the jewel will forever want to go back, so it’s easy to do so. But still, I didn’t think that would be so easy!” Chase rests his head on Jack’s shoulder and lowers himself back down. “Also, most of those jewels were done in a single spell.” 

Jack tense to that.

“A single spell?” How did Chase have enough magic to do such a thing? Maybe that’s the cause he lost it? “A single reverse spell.”

“Yes, and it worked.” 

“You are truly a powerful sorcerer.” Jack muses, and Chase doesn’t even have the energy to laugh at that. He lowers himself more until he is at Jack's height, and Jack can go back to touching the floor.

They end up lying in the cave hall. The cave was a system of multiple caves that Jack assumes must have worked as bedrooms, some with sand and others without it. There are still caves deeper down, but Jack hasn’t explored that far.

Jack hooks a leg over Chase’s tail, imitating the contact that the naga usually initiates. 

Different flavors of silence fill the air as the hour passes until Jack speaks again.

“How did you cast a spell to create so many jewels at once?” No one is that powerful. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots happening in this one and I can't wait for shenanigans again. Let me know what you guys think!


	5. Trust the fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Chase are forced to stay longer in the village until Chase heals his injuries.  
> Their trust is put into question but they are just there for each other :)

aChapter 5

**Trust the fool**

Jack wakes up alone, curled up in their two blankets. The bed was still warm with the heat of his companion. He rubs his face and tightens himself into a smaller ball.

“Chase?” Jack calls, but the snake is nowhere to be found. The elf lets out a sigh and kicks his blankets off. The air in the cave was cold, and the sunlight was a weak yellow. Jack picks one of the sheets and wraps it around him.

Yesterday was of great significance, more magnificent than Jack understood. 

He steps out of the cave and into the light, morning dew, and a light fog cover the prairie, the fall will begin soon. 

Chase was standing between the grass, moving gracefully and calmly. Jack didn’t understand the movements, but he was sure they were training of some kind. He observes the strong muscle shift from position to position and the focus of those golden eyes. The light bathes Chase in a soft glow and water droplets from the grass shine on his scales. The creamy skin with bronze tones, soft to the touch and firm in a fight, invites Jack’s eyes to roam his body. He looks at the strong jaw and high cheekbones and lets out a sigh. Chase was beautiful, he knew it well, and deadly. Every movement had a purpose, and those piercing golden eyes focus on something Jack didn’t know yet. 

Those eyes didn’t even look in Jack's direction, but Jack knew Chase was aware of his presence. The elf considered getting closer, but the tall grass was wet, and he didn’t want to get soaked by the cold water. So Jack sits on the sand carpet. The faded outline of a circle was a wake-up call.

Jack didn't truly know Chase Young.

He woke the naga king who, in less than a week, shed his history and took whatever shape will allow him to survive best. 

Jack looks at the naga moving between the tall grass. The more he stares, the more he recognizes the fighting stands.

In a month, Chase accomplished what most people take a lifetime. He left the desert with Jack on toll. He didn’t pressure Jack to leave, he simply offered, and Jack followed because at least Chase seems to have a direction, which is still a mystery.

And last, Jack follows the outline of the circle with his finger. Chase was an amazing sorcerer. Jack was born and raised in a clan where magic was an every life necessity. He studied, lived, and breathed magic. 

No elemental creature is that strong. Chase said that he cast one large spell enrapturing all sand of the desert. Jack believes him because he has seen the border. Now, since Chase broke the spell alone, Jack knows he told the truth. But Jack doesn't believe Chase used the sun’s magic. No, something like that could only be accomplished with dark Heylin magic. 

Jack recognizes it because he used it once.

Chase hasn’t lied, Jack knew that much, but Chase doesn’t trust Jack with the whole story. He kept Jack in need to know basis. That’s why Chase thought of Jack as a fool for trusting him. 

Jack let out a big exaggerated sigh, he saw Chase’s pointy ear twitch, but the man didn’t turn, and Jack spread his legs and doubled on himself. The stretch felt good, and his mind was pushed back to yoga. Memories of his life keep coming to his head in the most inappropriate times. This next full moon to come will be Jack rite to adulthood, which should be like the most intense dance with the moon yet. 

If Jack was another moon elf, he would be running from the quiet danger that is Chase. He should run back to his kind in hopes that they can do something for him. Or the next full moon might just kill him.

But, Jack might be a fool, because he still trusts Chase Young.

The naga hasn’t lied yet, and he has been dependable and loyal. So Jack will take the risk.

Jack straightens his posture and then leans to his right leg, then the left one. Thinking became more comfortable as he concentrated on his legs and arms. Jack stands and tilts his hips to four imaginary corners.

Chase notices Jack from the corner of his eye, the elf was silent and in deep contemplation. He waits for Jack to reach some sort of conclusion or verdict, then he sees movement. Jack, at some point, began exercising with him. Chase is amused but doesn’t stop to question it. They continued together for nearly an hour until both of their bodies were satisfied and a bit sore.

“I haven’t done that in a while,” Jack breaks their silence.

“Neither have I,” While Chase can remember doing his training every day for decades until the last two months, his body still suffers from the long slumber. “It feels good.”

“It really does,” Jack is surprised to be agreeing since he hates exercising. “I think I might do it tomorrow too.”

“I’m going to start a daily routine and-” Chase pauses, he should wait for Jack before making plans, “you seem deep in thought earlier.”

“You noticed? I was thinking about cutting the grass.” Jack plucks one of the blades, the short ones where ankle height but the tall ones reach Jack’s hips, “not all of it just a path to walk.” They were also impressively resilient since not even Chase's weight would break them, they would bend and spring right back up as soon as the man moved. 

“Jack, there are more important things to talk about than grass.”

“Yes, but out of curiosity, is this grass magical? And if it is, is it okay if I cut it?” After all, fall should start soon, but the grass was green and lush.

“The grass is not magical, the dirt is. The grass feeds from the dirt, and yes, cut all of it if you desire.” Chase felt inpatient talk about gardening instead of more pressing matters, like is Jack still comfortable traveling with him?

“Thank you,” Jack smirks at Chase’s growing irritation. “Also,” Jack stops to think, “are the bunnies magical because they eat the grass that feeds from the magical soil?”

“Jack,” Chase’s voice tells him to be serious by his next sentence.

“It's hard when people don’t answer your questions, is it?” Jack crosses his arms, and Chase doesn’t break his gaze. Chase didn’t answer when Jack asked him how he cast such a powerful spell on his own.

“It is.” Chase agrees, and Jack lets another long sigh. 

“I understand why you can’t explain. You don’t have to,” Jack’s eyes were hard, the ruby red calculates his next words carefully, “and you don’t have to say sorry either. You set a trap, but  **I** fell in it. You didn’t keep me there, or anyone for that matter. Are you still responsible? Yes. But you reverse the spell, I don’t know what else it can ask of you. So what I’m trying to say and what you might be wondering; no hard feelings.” Jack looks down and adds. “Everyone already had their reasons to go to the desert, and the riches were mostly a convenient excuse to stay.”

Chase stays in place, waiting for more, but that was all of it.

“Jack,” Chase opens his mouth, but he isn’t sure what he could say. “The grass will grow to the same size in a day or two. You must place a rock over it if what you want is a path.”

“Mm?” Jack looks around, happy to take any task besides more dead issues. “Where?” 

“There,” Chase points at the tall rock wall, “We can use some from the top and make a path.” 

“Is that okay?” 

“Yes, no reason to have a fence so high. I think it would be a better use for the rocks.”

Without a moment to lose, they start on their task.

Jack uses his knife to cut the grass, and Chase goes up the wall to pull stones from the top.

Neither felt like complaining about working so much for a place they will leave in a week. They wanted something to do to keep their minds busy. The sun shines high, and the pair stays on their corners, working in their respective parts. Jack’s knife was dull, and he changed to pulling the grass with his old leather gloves, and Chase struggles to bring the large rocks down since dropping them breaks them. 

By lunchtime, Jack has a large pile of grass, and Chase has a whole lot of rocks line up. 

They meet again, sweaty and tired, to share a meal. Jack pulls the dried meat and bread from the groceries from yesterday. He rations their food and gives Chase twice his usual.

“You are bigger,” Jack says. While Chase can survive with small meals, he really should be eating a whole meal. 

They shared a few gulps of water and the second plate of rations. The heavy work has opened their appetites, and with the promise of not a deadly say, tomorrow let them dip into their tomorrow’s portions. So much that Jack says they must go to the market again and restock.

“I’ll like to go,” Chase says and looks at his injuries. “I should be able to go the day after tomorrow.” 

“Oh, it will be much easier to shop with you around. You can intimidate the venders, or we can play the old new lovebirds card to get some extra from romantics, and you can keep me from shoplifting.”

“There was a lot in that sentence,” Chase says, “I didn’t know you were a lowly shoplifter, Jack.” 

“Not usually,” Jack pulls a golden bead, a decoration used by tailors to decorate outfits, and gives it to Chase. “But the moon affects my impulse control first. So I see something I want, I take it.”

“I see,” Chase looks at the little sphere shining against the sunlight. Since this last morning, the sunshine has been so sweet, like his skin can almost taste it. An old primal forced in Chase is incredibly content with the gleaming ball, “Is that why you kiss me?”

It was funny to see Jack choke on his own tongue.

“Yes, yes, I didn’t think we were going to talk about that.” Jack’s face flushed a bright pink. 

“I think we must,” Chase says with a playful smirk, “if I’m to help you when the moon calls to you, then I need to know what it looks like. It’s not always as straightforward as it was during our last full moon and not always when the moon is present, sometimes in the morning. I see silver in your eyes that vary from specks to completely overpowering you.”

“Yeah, so the more moonlight I get, the more silver. But once the full moon comes, it takes a few minutes for me to go all wide-eyed. And the next full moon is gonna be particularly intense for me since it marks my adulthood past, so that's some fun to look forward to.”

“Understood. Now, tell me about the kisses?” Chase pushes, and Jack hides his face with his hands.

“You are awful. I don’t push you like that.”

“Yes, thank you for your sensible approach,” Chase mocks him.

“Well, you are an asshole,” Jack throws a balled-up paper from his meat, but he misses miserably, “and I lose my impulse control. Like, have you ever stood too close to a cliff and think ‘I'm gonna jump’?” 

“No, I’m very heavy, Jack, I avoid cliffs.”

“Okay, bad example. Have you ever had someone you don’t like stand too close to you while you hold a knife and think, ‘what if I stab them’?” 

“Yes, I stabbed them. It was very satisfying.” Chase pretended like he didn’t understand what Jack was saying.

“Do you mean that?” 

“Yes, I usually stab people I don’t like given the opportunity. But I understand, my question is, do you keep kissing me because I’m there, or should I be worried about you kissing anyone that comes within reach?” Chase chuckles at the now deep read in Jack’s cheeks. 

“Anyone within reach once the full moon is a day or two away, but you have a” Jack felt like his face was about to lit on fire, “high risk.”

“Sound dangerous.” Chase playfully mocks Jack. He finds funny how easily the elf would expose himself to an audience, and parade his pretty naked body in front of Chase, but being accused of giving surprised pecks has him red like a strawberry. 

“Enough break! Let's get this path done!” Jack stands and marches to the rocks and tries to move them in vain. 

Chase’s hearty laugh makes the elf even more flushed.

“Jack,” Chase goes to help, “I have my fun. I’ll stop now.” Jack glares angrily, still red and pouting, and Chase laughs.

They continued to laugh while working. 

Jack points where to put the rock, and Chase drops them in place. They were done before nightfall, but Jack was not content. He said that this was the closest he has come to the building since he met Chase. So they break branches and clean them up. Or attend to clean them up, Jack's knife was so dull that using rocks worked better. The moon was in the sky, and Chase had to drag Jack into the safety of the cave. 

Sleep was difficult because both were sweaty, but they were also tired. Jack woke up in the middle of the night to remind Chase to clean his wounds. The elf was pretty useless in the dark, but he served as company while Chase cared for his injuries. Jack yawns loudly and flops on Chase’s back and murmurs something about frogs and falls asleep. 

  
  


The next morning repeats itself. 

Jack woke alone and found Chase already up and training.

The rock path was a bit irregular, but it served its purpose, Jack walks over it until he is in a respectable distance from the naga and joins in with his own exercises. 

Jack stops after an hour, he concentrates on making a cage to capture and fatten bunnies. 

Chase continuous for almost another hour. He sees Jack using his dull knife as a hammer to bring to pieces of wood together. 

“Where did you get a nail?” Chase looks curiously.

“I broke one of the little sculptures, I’m using the rock pieces as nails.”

“Rope?” Chase inspects the tightly bound rope.

“It isn’t rope, it's uncooked tendons from our last meal. They are surprisingly stretchy.” Jack hits the rock rod with his knife, driving into the wooden stake.

“I see,” Chase was surprised by Jack’s resourcefulness and wondered what would the elf do with actual materials, “we should go to the market. Get more supplies, maybe pay someone to sharpen that knife.”

“That sounds nice,” Jack agrees, “plus we ate a lot yesterday, so we are gonna need to reevaluate our rations.” 

“We should dry some rabbit meat ourselves to increase our supplies without using too much of our capital.”

“That sounds great, do you know how?”

“Yes, but we should get spices from the market to at least add some flavor to our meat.”

“I’m really looking forward to eating more than the minimum,” Jack exclaims, and Chase nods wholeheartedly. He is on his smaller form. After eating his due, he will grow in size not much since he is still young in naga years. However, Jack was a stick when Chase met him. Obviously suffering from malnutrition. And while Jack has put some weight already, it’s far from his healthy weight. 

“Let's go now, we still have plenty of time.” Chase begins to move towards the cave to get their money.

“Wait!” Jack runs in front of Chase, “we still haven’t talked about our pretend relationship.”

“We have,” Chase raises an eyebrow and worries if maybe the moon affects Jack’s memories too, “we agree to pretend to date in hopes to use it to our advantage. Also, you agree to not flirt with others while I’m injured.” 

“Yes, but that isn’t enough,” Jack shakes his head, “what if they ask questions, and we can’t answer them, mm?”

“We live together, and what are they gonna ask?”

“These are small-town people, and they are gonna gossip. They are gonna ask questions and look for drama. Fresh, hot drama. That’s us right now!” Jack looks at Chase, who doesn’t appear convinced that pretending to together require more than just say they are together. “They are gonna look at how we stand, how we talk to each other, and how we look at each other!” 

“Then could be more trouble than it’s worth?” Chase tilts his head, and Jack looks down.

“...It's a little shield for me.” Jack explains. “I can defend myself, but sometimes I get on people’s nerves, and I bruise easily. SO, this is the old ‘my huge muscular boyfriend will beat you if you touch me.’ Very efficient” 

“I see,” Chase has seen Jack be very outspoken, which could get him in trouble. And while Chase would help Jack even without romantic ties, it’s just more believable if the protection came from a lover. It spells, ‘you hurt someone I love, and I’ll destroy you,’ versus ‘that’s my traveling companion and this is inconvenient.’ “Then, what do you suggest to make our relationship believable?” Then out of nowhere, Chase wonders if Jack has done this before.

“Pet names?” Jack shrugs.

“As in ‘moonbeam’?” Chase can’t help to smile at the word.

“I’m not opposed to it. What about ‘my king’ for you?”

“I like it,” Chase admits, “are we only allowed to use these new names in public?”

“No, just use it when it feels natural.” Jack crosses his arms, “what nicknames did you use for past lovers?”

“Lover,” Chase says, and Jack looks at him like he expects him to say more. “Beautiful...?” 

“Okay, forget nicknames. We gotta see natural, maybe holding hands? How do you feel about that?”

“Holding hands?” Chase hasn’t ever been asked about holding hands. And he didn’t do it often with any of his past lovers, but it sounds nice. “I would like to try.” 

“Okay!” Jack extends his hand out, and Chase took it. Because of the height difference, Jack has to put his arm a bit out and up. Which isn’t uncomfortable until they start moving. Chase requires more space to slither. Also, Chase is faster, so Jack has to do a little bit of jog with his arm extended out. “Okay, no.”

“No?” While a bit of work, Chase found it pleasant to hold hands with Jack, or maybe he likes seeing Jack running next to him.

“You are too tall for it.”

“A burden I must carry every day,” Chase holds Jack’s hand a moment longer before letting go. The intimate yet simple contact was something he will fail to forget, “what else?”

“Mm, kissing is out. And I doubt there will be many opportunities for hugging. So I said I pretend extra hard for both of us, and you follow my lead.”

“Sounds like something we could have decided on the way,” Chase says before moving into the cave. He stops to look at his injuries, the ones on the topside of his tail are doing well, but the ones under him are still tender. But all of them still need time, maybe they will have to stay for another week. 

“The silver is on the details!” Jack says, and Chase looks up from his injuries. 

“Silver?” The expression was out of place. 

“Details are important.” Jack shakes his head and forgets about the silver. “Let's just go.”

Chase lets it go, he picks their bag and goes climbing the wall with Jack. It was more accessible since the wall is shorter but not by much. Jack jumps off and takes the bag from Chase, the naga wanted to comment that the weight to him was so minimal it made no difference to carry the bag (and Jack) or not. But the gesture was appreciated.

They travel down in an amicable conversation. Every so often, Jack points at something and demands a childhood story. Chase complains and enjoys Jack’s outrage after every story. Chase just finished the story of his first kill, a deer. He hid in the branches and threw himself down. The young naga wrestled the beast down but impales himself in a nearby stick. He was seven. 

Also, once he was taking a nap and a traveler lit him on fire to kill him, he was twelve, but fun fact, Chase can’t be burned by common fire.

“By the night sky, do you have a good memory of this place?” Jack walks backward, looking horrified and amused. Chase smiles unbothered by implications of that, he does, but it’s a precious thing to him.

“Maybe,” Chase says, cuttingly. Unconsciously protective of his little childhood secrets. 

“Good,” Jack unbothered by the reaction, they were almost at the inn and after they must go another thirty minutes to the market, “if we do that tour, take me.”

Maybe.” They move out of the forest and wave to one of the inn siblings from a distance. They couldn’t tell which one. “What about you?” 

“Mm?” 

“Your childhood memories tell me about your first kill.” Chase moves ahead, and Jack closes his eyes.

“When I was young I participated in a baby hunt party, everyone had to, but I’m blind in low light, so I really suck at it. I got lost all the time.” Jack feels his cheek flush. “I did a few years of that without a single successful hunt until I shot a member of my party. And they kicked me out.”

“Did you kill the member?”

“No!” Jack looks at Chase, horrified.

“Then, that’s not the story of your first kill.”

“Uh? True,” Jack picks his pace, “It was definitely after I left my clan. I couldn’t longer depend on my clan, so I had to hunt for myself. I suck at hunting, morning or night, cause I never actually learn anything useful.”

“Morning and night are very different hunting times.” Chase has hunted in both, and they required years to be proficient in one.

“So, I buy or perform for food.” Jack spent a few years on the road like that. “But the further I travel, the more space out villages and markets would be until I would see months without civilization.” 

Chase nods and looks up to the village, they were now a few minutes away. 

“It learned how to ration, dig up roots, boil poison out of food, and a bunch of little things. Then I learn how to set traps on my own.”

“On your own?” Chase has tried to set traps, but they required a clever hand and patience, and he prefers the action of hunting. 

“Yeah, it was hard, but it paid off!” Jack puts his hands up in triumph. “Then I move to the desert, and there is nothing to trap there.” Jack wonders if that is still true.

“What was it?” Chase asks.

“Uh? Oh! A snake.” Jack says, and Chase stops to look at Jack in the eye. “It was hard to cook.”

“And kill?” The naga was somber like Jack just confessed to killing a child. 

“A big rock… to the head.” Jack swallows hard. 

There was tension until Chase smiled and moved away. 

“Cannibalism is not frowned upon between nagas, so it doesn’t bother me. Plus is a snake, we eat snake meat in the desert.” 

“You are a jerk, you know that.” Jack keeps going and adds. “I was 63.” 

“Did you like it?” Chase decides not to comment on the age. 

“I was hungry. Every time I ate snakes, I was starving, so it is hard to tell.”

“I personally don’t like anything with scales. I find it odd.”

“What about fish?” 

“I have never tried fish.” 

“Right! I can’t wait to have some fish!” Jack says, and they prepare to enter the market. 

Jack was slender and closer to humans’ height, he could easily fit in. But Chase was much taller, and his long tail fell several meters behind him. People would step and trip over it even as he did his best to keep it close to him. Chase's best resort was to glare daggers to whoever came close since they needed to keep things civil to buy supplies. 

Jack stood close, trying to redirect traffic away from them. But this was a mostly human village, and people were literally following them. At least no one has actually attempted to start a conversation with them, mainly because Chase is very intimidating. 

They squeeze between tables and buy their supplies. 

An old blacksmith sharpens a sword and looks razzled when the pair approach his table.

“Hey, old man,” Jack smiles brightly and pulls his knife out of the bag. But it wasn’t his, but Chase’s, he puts it on the table and searches for his. “How much to sharpen this knife.” 

“Let me see.” The old man picks the knife and looks puzzled.

“Do you know anything about this knife?” Chase lowers himself to look at the man in the eyes. It startles both Jack and the man.

“Yes, well, not much. Who did you get it from?” The man asks. It was apparent it wasn’t Chase’s. The knife was small and in his hands tiny. The handle was too short for Chase to yield, so it has to be someone else. 

“I recently had an encounter, I don’t remember much, but this knife is the only clue I have,” Chase answers honestly hoping the man will be useful.

“I don’t know anything, or I can’t remember anything. My memory is not the same, but I can check my books. I feel like I have seen this knife somewhere.”

Jack pulls his knife and puts it on the table.

“Oh,” the man looks at it, “this one is pretty beaten, but I would recognize a beauty like this anywhere. A selenite dagger with silver markings from the moon clan, this is only given to powerful mages who had completed years of training.” The man looks at Jack in awe, while Chase lifts an eyebrow in disbelief. 

“Yep.”

“What a pleasure! This one will take longer to give it the proper care that it deserves!” The man’s smile takes twenty years' worth of wrinkles. “Let them with me overnight.” 

“Ok, see you tomorrow, Gamps. I’m sure they are in good hands.” 

“We will stay here tonight,” Chase adds, “so if you need anything, let us know.”

“At Camila's inn?” 

“Yes,” Chase says.

“Good place, good place.” The man tries to start a conversation with the pair, but they leave him alone to get back to work. 

“Are we staying the night?” Jack asks as they step away.

“I don’t want to leave my knife here,” Chase says, and Jack nods, understanding the importance of it. 

“So, we should go find this Camila’s inn.”

“I didn’t know you were a powerful mage?”

“I stole the knife before leaving,” Jack rolls his eyes, “I didn’t think anyone would recognize it.” 

“Is it worth something?” Chase asks and sees Jack freeze in place. Raw Selenite is pricey and an object blessed by moon magic much more, so it was worth a comfortable amount. But Jack never sold it, even after traveling for years, facing starvation and burning all his resources. Jack went to the desert, holding a small fortune in the knife. Yet, Jack never sold the knife.

“It isn’t,” Jack looked Chase in the eye and lied. Those ruby eyes look so sincere as if Chase didn’t know better he would have believed it. The naga stops and stares deeper into his companion, there were no silver specks to blame, and he hopes that Jack will come clean, but he didn’t.

“Lovebirds!” A loud lady calls at them, they turn to see the medic who took care of Chase. 

“Medic lady!” Jack turns with so much excitement, and Chase felt bitterness raise in his tone. He swallows it down quickly.

“Mada is the name, how are you doing?” She moves past Jack and kneels by Chase’s tail. “Oh? That's interesting.” She pulls a magnifying glass out of nowhere, and inspects one of the injuries, though must can tell she was aware of where to look. “Come, follow me to my work.” 

Chase and Jack look at each other and follow her.

She makes them stop at the door of a simple house, she asks Jack to wait outside while she consults with Chase. 

“Is it okay if I go in?” Jack asks, Mada looks at Chase for an answer.

“I prefer to go alone.” He says, and Mada points again to the chairs with weak shade. A little waiting area.

Mada opens the door, and Chase enters, like Jack’s desert home, the room was tiny. Chase has to circle on himself multiple times to fit in comfortably. The doctor moves around, gets used to big creatures, and puts crystals, bowls, and glass containers on a table in the back.

“How is the old Monthend treating you?” She asks while mixing some things in a bowl.

“Who?” Chase licks the air to taste the combination of the herbs. Nothing to be alarmed about.

“Monthend, the village you are in right now.” She pours some alcohol on the mixture. 

“I didn’t know the name.” Chase pays close attention to her movements. The woman lets a nosey laugh out.

“You travelers, don’t know even where you stand.” She lets the bowl rest and moves back with her magnifying glass. She uses a thin metal rod to pry between the scales and observe the injuries. Mada’s face becomes more and more serious, and Chase starts to feel nervous. She moves back to her table and pulls out some big round glasses before inspecting the injuries again.

“Is it bad?” Chase finally asks.

“No, no. It’s not bad. So sorry, I have been told I get intimidating when I go quiet.” She pets the tail and goes back, the smile once again disappears from her face. “But it's not good either.” 

She takes her glasses off to look at Chase.

“How so?”

“Well, for once, your injuries are not healing as fast as they should. But that might be a problem. Did you follow the instructions I gave you?”

“Yes, clean the bandages and use the medicine you gave me at the end of the day. I forgot one night, but only once.”

“And the sex?” 

Chase blinks at that, he heard that sex increases healing but not by much.

“No sex,” Chase answers honestly. Something that not all can do he thinks.

“Oh, well, I was serious when I said that it increases a lamias’ health and healing abilities up to 3 times.” She looks at the scales and tilts her head. “Maybe you don’t take it seriously because you are not a lamia.” 

“I’m a naga,” Chase tells her, “I assume it was a joke.”

“I never joke about medical procedures. But if you don’t have a willing participant, then I just will give you different instructions.” 

“Thank you,” Chase says and sees her putting the mixture from the bowl into a funnel with a filter. The green-ish liquid falls into a clear glass container. She uses a pestle from a mortar to ground the mush of leaves. 

“No, don’t thank me yet. There are things you don’t want to hear. First, these injuries are gonna take another two weeks to heal.”

“Two weeks?! I’m almost healed.”

“Mm, superficially, but the cuts were deep. The skin might heal, but the muscle might need more time, so you can go and start bleeding internally.” She looks at the liquid she collected and takes the funnel out. “Plus, your scales, as pretty as might be, are suffering. You need more fresh meat in your diet. Try eating-” Mada looks at him from the top down and counts with her finger, “4 to 5 live rabbits or chickens. You need more blood!”

Chase agrees, he needs more live food, but hunting is hard in the forest. The trees are so close to each other that Chase can’t fit comfortably, he has to stop and find an entrance. 

Mada takes the mush from the funnel and puts it on a leather bag. 

“Eat this when you can, it will give you a boost.” 

“Thank you.”

“Please don’t thank me, that will be 3 gold coins.” 

Chase could tell it was expensive by the way Mada behave, but if he has the money, no reason not to pay. 

“I’ll get it from Jack,” Chase stops, “Do you mind looking at him too, I feel like he hasn’t been eating well.” 

“Oh, tell him to come in!” Mada's enthusiasm seems out of place for a medical visit, but Chase appreciates it. It reminds him of Jack.

The naga steps out, and Jack looks at the comically long-tail leaving the doctor’s office.

“Are you gonna live?” Jack asks while handing Chase the coin bag. Chase tries to answer with their usual banter, but he feels hurt by Jack’s lie. 

He wonders if Jack thinks Chase will force him to sell his knife. 

“Yes,” Chase picks the three coins and gives them to Mada. The doctor stands awkwardly in an obvious lovers’ quarrel and goes to hid into her office.

“I’m here if you need me.” 

“We should get going then.” 

“After you.” Chase points inside the office, and Jack points to himself.

“I’m not hurt.” 

“Yes, but you have gone through plenty.” 

“We shouldn’t waste money like that.” Jack looks uncomfortable to go see a doctor and bites his lips. Silver specks shine in his red eyes, and baby tears build up. “I don’t want to go see her. I’ll just start drinking water every day.”

“Jack, this isn’t a negotiation. Go.” Chase ignores the tears and pretends to be unshakable. 

Jack looks at the door for a long time before opening it and disappearing for a full hour. 

During this time, Chase decided that he should stop being hurt by Jack’s lie; of course, Jack lied. The naga knew better than to trust his ally-of-convenience, it was just a matter of time for Chase to catch little Jack in a lie. He shouldn’t be surprised that the elf is an expert liar, his public persona, odd charm, and pretty face were all plus to that cunning mind. 

When Jack said that he trusts Chase, he really believed it. 

Chase closes his eyes and decides to feel happy to have such a great actor for a companion. Yet, he still felt disappointed. 

The door opens, and Jack walks out with several glass containers looking distressed. He doesn’t say a word, just reaches for the bag, and pays a total of seven gold coins. 

“Jack?” Chase asks all previous anger melts away replaced with worry as Jack puts his medicine in the bag. 

“Don’t worry, it was the same thing,” Jack puts the bag on him, “that always is.” His eyes were a vibrant shade of gray. He looks at the dirt lost on his way.

“Jack,” Chase puts his hand on Jack’s shoulder and cups his face with the other, “look at me.” Those gray eyes lighten to a silver.

“Yes, sorry is just that, I don’t like doctors.” Jack closes his eyes and cries the silver out. 

“Sorry that I force you, but I worry about your health.”

“I know,” Jack says and shakes his head, “I just have been very sentimental. Let's just get out of here.” People were stopping by and whispering.

They move away, and Chase pulls them back into the market. He saw a few stands that Jack eyed but didn’t go since it wasn’t on their supply list. Maybe if they buy a small something, the elf’s mood might improve. 

They stop to look at clothes, and Jack touches all the metal decorations while Chase feels the only silk fabric they have. They were shooed away when the vendor figured out that they were not going to buy anything.

Near the closing hour, crows rush past them, and Jack ends up riding Chase to not get lost. He climbs higher to see the shops, and he ends up being worn like a backpack. 

Chase spends two pieces of bronze for a slice of fried mystery meat in a stick, the beef was a squirrel, but the seasoning was delicious. Jack's face was resting on his shoulder, and he stole so many bites that it is not fair to call it half. They agree to buy two more. 

A vendor offers the newcomers a taste of free wine, and another calls them to try some of their enchanted items. They chose the food. 

Jack warms that the moon will be coming soon, and they march to the inn. 

In the way, they meet a musician who Jack befriended during the contest. He recommends them to go audition to play at the Duchess’s tournament. He told them that the person in charge of the music and entertainment has a friend in the kitchen, and they bring food that will be served at the feast. They don’t have to really know how to play, just line up, they will provide some instruments, bomb the audition and get a free meal. 

It was tomorrow night, and both agreed to see him there.

They finally reach Camila’s inn, the only inn to accept larger creatures, out of the two inns in the village. They were charged three silver coins for a room. They also learn that one gold coin is the equivalent to four silver coins. They spend another two bronze coins for warm water. 

In the room, small and moldy, they wash in an old bowl and lay in the mat on the floor.

“Our cave is better than this,” Jack jokes and undresses.

“The cave is free,” Chase passes his wet hand through his hair. 

The tension Chase felt before had lessened, and Jack was back to his energetic self. Chase hurries with his own cleaning and leaves before Jack begins taking his pants off. 

He lays in the mat, simple but much more comfortable than their own, and takes care of his injuries. By the time Chase is done, Jack is handing his just washed clothes on the window, and he goes to bed naked except for a thin towel loosely tied around his hips. 

Jack noticed Chase stiffen as he got into the bed.

“I didn’t bring a second chance of clothes,” Jack says apologetically. 

“Is okay,” Chase makes space for Jack to take his usual spot, “I made plans with consulting you. I won’t fault you for not being prepared.” Chase says honestly and feels like a fool. Jack lays on his chest and looks at Chase through those long eyelashes. 

“Thank you for today,” Jack says with a sickeningly sweet smile. 

“What about today?” 

“I was weird after going to, after talking to Mada. I’m sorry if I made things weird.” 

“Yes,” Chase puts his arms around Jack and curls his tail, “you were weird, why?”

“I just don’t like doctors,” Jack pushes his face against Chase’s chest like he wanted to hide there. “They all have things to say about me.” 

“You don’t have to tell me what she said,” Chase pets the red hair, “but if we are to travel together, I need you to be in your best health.” 

Jack looks away.

“I can take care of myself.”

“Yes, but it's more efficient to care for each other, just for the time being. I was told to eat more meat and be more careful.”

Jack laughs in response, he tries to stop, but he laughs more instead. He finds it so funny that it was Chase’s directions. 

“Then, you will be healthy, mm?” And Jack was crying again.

Chase looks at the pitiful elf and hugs him tightly. It was more than a hug. Jack was held by Chase’s strong arms and tail, every inch of Chase’s body pressed carefully, tightly, and lovingly against Jack’s. “What was that?” Jack asks, feeling oddly calmer.

“A squeeze, a naga version of a hug.” 

“You don’t have hugs?” Jack asks, surprised.

“Don’t be dramatic, no nagas technically don’t hug.”

“Everything that I learn from your childhood makes me very stress.” 

“Can I hear a story from your childhood?” Chase casually asks, but he knows that Jack is still dealing with his issues. He knows his upbringing sounds shocking to most, but not to Chase, he dealt with his problems long ago, but Jack ran from them.

“You are a brilliant man,” Jack can’t move a muscle, but he felt so safe, “I know you already figured it out.” He hopes that will be enough, but Chase still looks at him, expecting a real answer. “I was born with a weak body. Okay!” Jack tries. “I don’t know why. I have two perfectly healthy parents, but I was born white, weak, and cold like ash. The doctors said I should stay indoors and eat until I regain strength. But I didn’t. Every visit was a new thing. I’m colorblind, asthmatic, muscle weakness, and an irregular heartbeat. But worst of all, I can’t hold magic in me. Not more than a teacup. So, I hate going to the doctor and being told again what is wrong with me. Like, bitch, I already know!” Jack felt angry, sadness burns into poison. “I already know, and I’ve been dealing with it for much longer than you have!” The action of being angry requires so much energy, Jack found himself entirely tired in seconds. 

“What did Mada say? So you might have safe traveling.”

“She said to stop. She said that I need constant medication and a specialist nearby. She said to go to a city and find a better doctor. Also, she thinks we are fighting, so it is just a matter of time before the whole damn village knows.”

“What did she say when you told her that you were planning to keep traveling?”

“I didn’t tell her that. I just said that I was going to follow her advice.”

“You lied; you shouldn’t lie to your- to her, Jack.”

“I have to!”

“And she will not release your information. She must follow an honor code.”

“An honor code?” Jack smirks at that, “she won’t. She will tell someone, and then everyone will know.” Chase looks at his little elf and decides that that's enough for tonight.

“If she does, I’ll kill her for you.” 

Jack’s eyes shot open at that, he doesn’t want her dead. But he still appreciates the gesture.

“Thank you,” Jack closes his eyes and feels different, “my king.” 

  
  


The next morning they untangled their limbs and reused the cold water from last night to clean themselves. Chase comments that they might have to stay a lot longer since he has to wait until his injuries heal completely plus-

“I want you to see Mada again.”

“What?” Jack turns to look at Chase, feeling betrayed. “After that heart to heart, we have?” 

“Yes, even after your heartbreaking childhood story. I want her to give a prognosis to travel. And if she doesn’t, we will find a doctor who will.”

“And if everyone says no?”

“Then I’m going to use my most persuasive charm,” Chase moves to wipe the tear trails in Jack’s face, “and make them change their opinion.” Jack nods and smiles.

“Chase, I’ll repay you somehow.” Jack finishes getting ready, and Chase stands carefully watching Jack.

He likes Jack, it is a shame he isn’t trustworthy. And over such a small issue. 

They leave the inn after and walk around a bit, waiting for the market to open.

They visit the first shops to open and are forced to buy a second bag when a strap breaks. They also purchase thread and needles. Two new blankets. Breakfast and a comb for Chase. And a book to past time and by the time the blacksmith's shop open, he tells them to come back in two hours. 

Together they counted their coins and soberly decided to skip lunch. 

They met the musician again, Pato, and tell them to come for the audition. 

Pato was a human who was obviously smitten by Jack. He stays close to the elf and offers him all sorts of presents, must of them in the form of song. Jack loves attention and happily encourages the little crush. 

Once they reach the line, which was the size to be expected of someone offering free food, Jack sends his now lackie for water. 

Chase crosses his arms and gives Jack a look, and Jack plays dumb. 

They wait and wait, and the sun is still at midday. 

Pato returns with cold fresh orange juice for Jack and offers Chase some water. The naga rolls his eyes and lets Jack have his fun. A sting of jealousy to be able to provide a small luxury like juice. Chase has been so focused on meeting the minimal standards to survive and thrive, that he forgot about all the right things. Like having his own territory, his own money, and resources. He didn’t mind pretending to be Jack’s lover, but he worried that Jack might prefer one who can actually provide for him. Chase pushes all those thoughts away, he really doesn’t have the time to complicate things furthermore. But then again, he does have the time.

The line advances painfully. 

“Next,” a voice calls, and Pato winks at Jack before going to the stage. His singing was mediocre at best, but he could play the lute nicely. 

“I thought I was supposed to be your lover?” Chase leans down to whispers in Jack’s ear. Jack giggles and moves to the side, and says something about tickles, so Chase puts his hand in Jack’s side and brings him back in place. “I don’t like him trying to woo you.” 

“I like juice, though.” Jack offers a sip to Chase, but the naga has too much pride to accept.

“What happened to the details?”

“I can play clueless really well,” Jack smiles, and the mischievous dangerous spark was back in his eyes. 

“Okay,” Chase agrees, “but stay close.” 

“Next!” 

Jack smiles before taking his place. He started telling a story, he was just setting the introduction when the director asked him to tell a different tale. Something called ‘Alimia’s misfortune,’ Jack was confused. He tried to make up a story but was abruptly stopped. Apparently, all storytellers were supposed to perform duchess approved stories. 

Jack didn’t know any. The director sighs, give Jack a script and tell him to read. The elf nods, but he looks shaken. He looks at the paper and looks at the public, Chase remembers how scary it was to be in the middle of the area with eyes everywhere, so he pushes past the door frame. The bouncer watching the line didn’t even dare to address Chase.

Once Jack found someone to focus and read to, he began to tell Alimia’s misfortune. Jack has so many emotions, and they flow through his movements. The elf’s tall figure steals the stage, his voice carries louder than any tone, and his laughs bring happiness. 

He was given the job on the spot.

Chase was next. 

The naga goes ahead and looks at the inadequate stage, he looks at the director who looks at Chase and nods.

“You don’t need the stage.” The stage was just two feet tall, and Chase doesn’t need it to be easily seen from the back. Chase looks at the instruments, and he sees a guzheng. The naga’s face illuminates with happiness and smiles like he just has met an old friend. The public is drawn to Chase; his calm demeanor with his obviously dangerous aura matches perfectly with his beautiful face. He picks the instrument and tests the strings, they were recently changed and tuned. Chase finds a table, he shooed the people out of it so he can comfortably bend to play. “A guzheng player? I was about to stop bringing that thing alone.” The director looks excited, and the room leans in “play the kingdom’s hymn.” 

“No,” Chase says with a sharp smile, “ I’ll play Rain Broken Jiangnan,” The only song Chase can trust himself to play. 

The music was surprisingly loud and sweet. Each note exists louder than the past and holds a melancholy. The music was a story on its one, one that you can only hear if you listen carefully. 

Chase made many mistakes, but since no one knows the song, as long as he continues to play, no one knows the difference. 

Chase, too was offered a spot. 

He bows, and his audience claps. Then he takes his place next to Jack, and Pato on the other side. The young man looks annoyed, but Chase pays him no attention. He happily receives praise from his elf. 

“You didn’t tell me you were that good! That was beautiful.” Jack stands up on his chair to look at Chase eye to eye. He doesn’t care for the calling attention. 

“I don’t want to give all of myself at once,” Chase feels the pride to be cared for so openly.

The director clears his throat, and Jack sits but makes a big deal out of it by rolling his eyes and dragging his movements. 

They watched two auditions, then two tables were empty, and food served for the new people. 

Just as promised, the food was suited for royalty. The portions were huge, a generous portion of tender fat pork cooked in a sweet apple and carrot sauce with sides of grilled potatoes and mushrooms plus a spinach salad. People eat like someone was coming to take their plate away. And Chase and Jack, too, dig into their meals without a second thought. In mere minutes the naga finished all his meat, including bones and tendons, then he moved to the vegetables and fruit. He glances hungrily to Jack’s plate. The elf protects his plate by side hugging his plate and eats all he can, only once he is full without measure he offers the rest to Chase.

Chase hasn’t eaten more than a human’s rations in months, so this was truly filling. He didn’t think twice of eating Jack’s scraps. Maybe hunger made him forget his pride. Or Jack has seen him in such moments of weakness, what it is to share another meal between hungry companions. 

The three of them stayed to watch the auditoriums, it was obvious to see who was an actual performer and who was willing to make a fool of themselves for a free meal. But after an hour the pair decides to leave. Pato asks Jack to stay, to wait with him to see if he gets called for a spot. But Jack tells him he must accompany Chase back. Chase doesn’t bother in acknowledging the glare thrown in his direction. He leaves towards the door, hearing Jack just a few steps behind. 

They are told to return for daily practice, both are annoyed and consider quitting, but then the director reminds them that lunch will be provided. 

The sky is pink, and they rush back up the hill into their little cave. The path is much more enjoyable with a full stomach and the prospect of the same dinner tomorrow.

Jack sings all the way up, his voice breaks like the one of a drunk but is so joyful and much lower than Chase expected. The elf tries to convince the other to sing that no one will know except him. Jack asks Chase to trust him, and Chase feels his heart sink.

“I want to hear you,” was all Chase needed to say to satisfy Jack.

They go up relaxed and victorious, calmly racing against the moon, who climbs the sky much faster than they walk uphill.

At the wall, Jack looks at the bright light and bows his head with a smile. Once they make it to the other side, Jack’s eyes have the silver halo, but he is in control. 

The rock path was a pleasant surprise to the worn-out pair. 

They reached their home and unpacked the new items, and light a candle. They tend to their own medical care. Chase looks at his injuries, and Jack takes his multiple elixirs with resentment. 

They add the two new blankets to their bunch and lay on down to sleep. 

Sleep comes fast, and it comes hard.

The next morning Chase did his exercises alone, and Jack sleeps a few more hours. Once the elf wakes up, pour a cup of water in the pot, and a few lose leaves in it. He leaves the cave and calls for Chase to please set a fire. The naga was there standing in the middle of the land, just taking in the sunshine.

Chase does and looks at the pot.

“What are you making?”

“Tea,” Jack groans out.

“What kind?” Chase looks interested, and Jack frowns.

“You like tea?”

“Yes, shouldn’t I?” 

“No, is just that only old people like tea,” Jack places the pot on the rock oven and thinks, “but I’m going to be an adult soon, or so says the moon, so guess is time to start. Is rosemary and thyme.”

“I have never tried that, do you mind if I accompanied you?” Chase hasn’t had tea in so long, and he looks forward to it. “I’ll find a snack to go with it.”

Before Jack could answer, the snake was gone, and he simply added more water. 

Chase returns with their bowls and some dried fruit they bought yesterday. Jack lets the tea boil until it changes color and pours it in their bowls. The bowls allow for rapid cooling, and Chase drinks first. He looks at the liquid and drinks again. Curious, Jack drinks his own to find a bitter hot leaf soup. He sticks his tongue out, and Chase nods. 

“You over boil it.”

Jack looks at him.

“Can you overcook tea?”

“Yes,” Chase finished his drink, “I’ll prepare it next time.” 

“I don’t know if I should believe the man who likes his meat rare-raw.” Jack drinks the rest in one swing, and Chase smiles. The elf noticed that Chase has been smiling a lot more often, and he feels some sort of shared happiness. Jack picks some dried plum and eats happily. Completely forgetting to be bitter to the prospect of taking medicine every morning, at least for today.

They finish their breakfast and leave down to the village. 

Their path down is quiet, and they look at an old deer. The beast was confident that the men couldn’t outrun him in this forest and stayed still.

“Do you feel like he is mocking us?” Jack sighs, wishing he has a crossbow or something. 

“The deer or life itself?” 

It was still early when they made it to the village, but the musicians selected were all ready to start. There were a total of twelve people, including Pato. The young man runs towards Jack and lets him know that he made the cut. The elf congratulates him and moves to the corner for the storytellers to chat with them. 

Chase got a table for his own since he was much bigger, and his instrument different from the rest. The naga makes a headcount and tilts his head curiously, half of the entertainers were non-humans. He didn’t mention this and practiced with his instrument. The hardest part was to not cut the strings with his claws but pull with enough strength to deliver a sharp, clear note. 

Finally, the director made it to his table, he told him that he will be playing alone in a living room for the guests who wish to enter. He was honest about how his music would be background noise to many, and few will know the music or instrument. So Chase only needs to practice three songs.

“Rain Broken Jiangnan, and what other twos?” 

“Spring River Flower Moon Night,” Chase wonders is that's the correct translation, “and The Midnight Jackdaw’s Crying.”

The director repeats the names while writing them down. His lips quirk up on the word ‘moon’ and look at Chase with soft eyes. It was them that Chase noticed the parallels of his choices, he didn’t question it. Not then, at least.

They practice for a few hours, and then just promise a great meal worth their payment. Which apparently was only one gold coin at day and five for a full night of work. 

Tips were expected and appreciated. 

However, venison cooked in wine and a side of carrot soup was enough to soothe any complaint. 

At the end of practice, Jack and Chase reunite, Pato attends to join them, but Jack tells him that they have previous plans.

Jack complains about how he has to learn three books and four sonnets in two weeks.

“My voice is gonna be so sore! I'm gonna need honey,” Jack pouts, and Chase wonders if he thinks that will get him, honey.

“Honey is a luxury,” Chase turns to the blacksmith shop, and he decides that he is okay with Jack lying. Whatever the reason it is, does not matter, because it is a reminder that Chase shouldn’t trust Jack. He shouldn’t trust anyone. After all, it cost him everything last time.

The blacksmith waves at them, and Jack happily goes to visit. He tells Chase that he doesn't have time to look through all his books, but he will. 

Jack apologizes for not coming yesterday and explains about the auditions. 

The man congratulates them on the secure meals and asks for some leftovers, if possible.

“I just want to taste how the rich eat, feel all fancy with my muck and ash,” the old man laughs at his own joke. 

“Sure thing Gramps, for a discount!” 

“I’m already giving you a discount for letting me work with such beauty.” The blacksmith pulls a leather piece and unfolds it to reveal a breathtaking selenite dagger. The delicate crystal was white and partially transparent, smooth and cold, and the edge sharp enough to cut without putting strength behind it. Deep scratches were still there, but there was nothing to do about those. And the handle had been cleaned, repaired with new metal, and polished. But it was incomplete; the handle has a prominent empty circle where some sort of seal should go.

“Woah, Gramps, you are a miracle-worker!” Jack carefully picks the knife and almost cries, seeing it in its former glory. “It's beautiful.” 

“How much is it?” Chase looks at Jack hugging his knife. It was obviously valuable to Jack, and Chase wouldn’t take it from him. 

“2 gold coins.” The old man said, and Chase lifts an eyebrow. 

“That can’t be right.” Chase puts four gold coins down, and Jack coughs at that. “This is not a 2 coin job.” The old man gave him a sweet smile.

“It’s not,” he nods, “but I don’t want to take too much from young lovers. After all, the world is cruel, and I can tell you guys are just settling down, you need every coin to buy your stuff.” 

“Gramps!” Jack squeals and happy tears.

Chase pushes the money back to the old man. 

“Let us do it decently,” Chase looks into the old man’s brown eyes, “I don’t want shortcuts. I want my strength alone to take me there.” 

“Okay,” The man looks impressive and gives Chase a little bow, “thank you.”

They all say their goodbyes, but before leaving, Chase turns and asks. Because he needs Jack to know that he won’t be played with sweet words and sweeter eyes.

“How much for the dagger?” Chase didn’t have to look to know Jack was looking at him. He felt the small hand in his arm leave him.

“Sorry to say this, but nothing at all.”

“What?” Chase blinks, “that is pure selenite from the moon elves.”

“That’s stolen pure selenite from the moon elves. It’s enchanted, so whoever steals it or buys it from someone who isn’t the owner will face an early death. My guess is that the magic doesn’t work in other moon elves, but you could only sell it to other moon elves. Point being is that no one will buy it, so might as well be worth nothing.” 

Chase nods and turns just to find Jack already walking ahead.

He catches up to Jack quickly, but once there, he isn’t sure what to say.

So Chase says nothing. Jack begins to complain about how much he has to memorize and how honey will help. Chase is sure that Jack doesn’t know what to do in silence, and he also knows he hurt Jack.

  
  


They walk uphill and climb the wall. They walked the rock path and lit a candle to care for their own hygiene. 

“Jack, can we wake up earlier tomorrow. I would like to take you to the lake.”

“The lake?” Jack struggles to put some drops in his eyes. “I thought you said the lake was dangerous this time of the year?” 

“It is, but I will keep you safe. Trust me,” Chase extends his hand, and Jack stares confused until he understands to give him the glass with the dropper, “please.”

“Okay, I’ll,” Jack lets Chase tilt his head and try to put the drop in his eye, “but you are a jerk.”

“At times, I’m much more than a jerk Jack, “ Chase tries to hold Jack still and drop the medicine. His golden eyes shine, and Jack finds himself in a calm place where he can’t move. Chase drops a drop per eye and frees Jack. “But you still trust me?”

Jack blinks the excess away and then frowns.

“Are you trying to make me say no? Cause I can lie if it gives you some peace.” Jack picks a cream and puts it under his chin and then goes to bed. He cuddles himself between the blankets until Chase decides to join him.

The next morning Chase drags Jack out of bed, even though the sun is not up yet, they must start the day.

This time Chase prepares their tea, and Jack stretches his back against the close end of the rock oven. 

Chase boils the water first and then adds the leaves. He waits for three or four minutes and then serves the water without any leaves.

Jack will admit that it tastes different, earthy, and kind of minty instead of bitter, but it was still not his taste. He drinks the warm tea in the cold morning, eating their traveling rations. The sun rises, and the sky is a beautiful orange.

“What is at the lake?” Jack asks.

“Water,” Chase deadpans, and Jack turns to look at him, “I just want to go to the lake and tell you that I’m afraid of it.” 

Jack thinks what Chase just said and was about to laugh, but then he thinks again. Chase hadn’t shown fear at any point, even when Jack met him in the desert.

Chase was confused, surprised and shocked, but not afraid.

“Why?” 

“Nagas are not good swimmers,” Chase explains, “we are heavy muscle and sink right away. My parents used to have this huge treasure in their cave, they let us see it every so often so we know what a treasure should look like, but they didn’t trust us. They say that if they found us stealing they will drop us in the center of the lake and we will drown. They said that if they knew they were going to die, they would throw all their riches into the lake so no one can have them.” Chase takes a piece of dried fruit and looks at Jack’s horrified expression while eating it, “I haven’t even bothered to check their room, I know it is empty.” 

“I understand why the lake might still be scary.” 

“Yes,” Chase admits, “I can go shower at the shore, but I always remember to be careful because someone might use this opportunity to push me in.” 

Jack blinks and stops at a point of logic he doesn’t get.

“You are scared someone might push you in the lake? Chase, you are not easy to move unless you want to.” 

“Yes,” Chase admits, “but that is not the point.”

“There was a point?”

“The point is, you can’t trust anyone because people are cruel and selfish. If they need to hurt you to get their way, they will.” Chase explains, and Jack nods.

“I think I understand.”

“That is all I can trust you with,” Chase never thought himself as a fool, but he might just be one “for today.”

They still went to the lake, it was extensive with a huge, loud waterfall and crystal clear waters. Chase tells Jack that the sun feels different here, colder. They didn’t stay long, but they agreed to come back to do laundry.

The pair goes back to the village to practice and returns after lunch. 

And they repeat their day again, falling into a comfortable routine that will allow them to heal until they are ready to leave. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is taking a lot longer X)  
> The original outline was supposed to be only 5 chapters and now they are 10  
> Also, if anyone wants to be my beta let me know!
> 
> Also here are some music:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MlbDOG70vY   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujzMHLac404   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRvZEPWEHqk


	6. The Duchess’ tournament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase and Jack enjoy some peaceful time before going to the duchess' tournament. There new enemies and possible allies await.  
> 

Chapter 6

**The Duchess’ tournament**

The lake was crystal clear, and the morning air cold. Chase washes using their washing bowl while Jack swings in the lake. 

The last two weeks had been nothing but practice and dress fittings. 

They have fallen into a nice little rhythm of morning training, practice, and afternoon activities. A nice change of pace until the month is up, only interrupted by Pato, who occasionally follows Jack around when Chase is away. The human gifts Jack present after present, and Chase warns him not to take them anymore, but Jack insists he needs the honey. 

The pair had been tricked into doing overtime for a single gold coin and a grand meal. It was a great deal the first days when practice lasted three hours, but now, days from their debut, practice lasts seven hours or more. After they make their way up the hill, Jack and Chase busy themselves for an hour or two before going to bed and repeating it the next day. Jack busied himself by quilting their four blankets together into actual bedding. Making shelves for their growing possessions and a small cabinet to store tea and medicine. 

Chase carved a lance and busied himself hunting. He wasn’t successful the first days, but by the end of the week, he caught a deer. Then they used another day to smoke the meat. 

People in town were charmed by the lovers and always gave them a little extra of whatever they bought. It was a peaceful and moderately comfortable life neither had ever expect to live. 

Just five days before the Duchess' tournament, the director had been especially pushy about everyone’s performance, the pair decided that they deserved a day off.

Chase set a fire and warms near it. The day was cold, but the heat of the fire-swept his skin and cleansed all. The naga comes so close to the flames that he almost topples over them. 

Jack goes deeper into the water, swimming past the light shore and into the dark green and blue shadows.

“It’s cold!” Jack shivers and tightens his arms around his chest.

“Come to the shore and lay in the rocks, they are warm,” Chase recommends.

Jack swims back, lured by the promise of warmth and hugs the first rock he sees, it was disproportionately warm.

“Woah!” Jack presses his face and chest against the rock. “Chase!” Jack steps back to wave the naga over, “come, this rock is so warm!” 

Chase smiles at Jack; Jack's body was submerged in crystal clear water with tiny fishes curiously swimming by his ankles. Cautiously the naga goes to Jack. He helps Jack get on to the rock, touching bare tights so naturally, and Jack makes space for Chase to join him. They fit in the cram surface, soaking the warm from the rock. Chase curls his tail around the stone in a defensive way while looking at the lake warily. 

Jack notices the symbol carved in the rock, it wasn’t messy like the other, and it was different as well. 

“What does this one says?” Jack touches the scripture curiously.

“‘Mine,’” Chase points to the first one and then the second one, the only Jack was playing with, “‘everything that touches.’”

“Mm?” Jack giggles to that but refrains from making the obvious remark that he is on the rock; instead, he asks. “How old were you when you made this mark?”

“Oh?” Chase thinks it had been a long time, “14 or maybe 15.”

“Were you small?” Jack wonders, how much Chase grew? Was he ever tiny?

“Smaller, yes, but I was the biggest amount, my siblings.”

“Size is important, isn’t it?” Jack props himself on his elbow and gives Chase a suggestive look.

“Yes, it indicates your living conditions.” Chase nods.

“Uh?” Jack pouts that Chase didn’t get his joke but was still interested. “Is that a naga thing?” 

“Yes, nagas, unlike lamias, never stop growing.” Chase says, and Jack makes an ‘o’ with his mouth. The naga fixes some of the red strands sticking to the skin, and Jack leans into the touch. He has noticed that Chase has been growing a bit. Not much, just noticeable to Jack, who watches his broad back every morning. And to Jasmine, the tailor. “Nagas, like pythons, can increase or decrease the mass of our organs depending on our diet.”

Jack stares at Chase, trying to figure out what to do with that piece of information. 

“My hair is getting long.” 

“Long hair would look good on you,” Chase lets out like a secret thought, something that you aren’t sure you should say until it’s said.

“Ha! Is that another naga thing?” Jack laughs, imagining how messy his hair would get if it were longer. 

“Yes, it is. Long hair is a sign of strength, status, health, and wealth.”

“Mm,” Jack remembers how hard it was for Chase to cut his hair and go to pull in the dark thick hair at his nape. “Is growing fast.” 

“Not fast enough,” Chase says, and he moves closer silently, asking to be pet. 

“What about that?” Jack laughs as he lets the world's biggest kitten snuggle with him. Chase didn’t notice he did that until his face was resting in space between Jack’s shoulder and neck, a nice place to take a nap. But highly risky at the moment. “Is this a naga thing?”

“Maybe,” Chase opts to say.

“What is the difference between lamias and nagas?” Jack wonders since most people confuse Chase with a lamia. 

“The more striking ones are territoriality, magic, and size,” Chase explains well the verse in the subject. “Both nagas and lamias are territorial, but lamias are much more understanding when sharing territory and will form bands or gangs. Nagas are not so much. Nagas refuse to share territory or even neighbor another naga. The rule, as a naga, is if it takes you less than a year to find another naga, it’s too close.”

“Too close?”

“Too close, and that you two must fight to the death for the land. If you win and choose to forgive your opponent, you cut their hair and send them on the way. If other nagas see this, they will know that one, a short-haired naga, is weak, homeless, and most likely injured.” Chase stops considering his own situation.

“Hey, if nagas live so far apart from each other and pretty much fight on sight… how do more nagas are even made?” Jack hurries to change the sour subject. 

“Evolution did us a favor. We can pair with almost any other creature and get a mostly naga offspring without issues. But it’s said that two naga parents make stronger offspring. Also, you can visit other nagas; you just have to send a letter and go over so many formalities that it’s just not worth it.”

“Ah, that sounds terrible.”

“It’s much simpler to take a harem or just enjoy a casual relationship with a traveler seeking shelter.” Chase nods, he moves his tail to offer shade to Jack. The elf thanks him silently, still surprised for how long the tail can stay in a position. “Offer them food, shelter, and all luxuries for their company.” 

“Magic?” Jack remembers that Chase has lost his connection to the sun. 

“Most nagas are born with the ability to harness magic from an element.” 

“While only a few lamias can harness magic on their own.” Jack knew that. 

“And size, well nagas are generally bigger than lamias.” 

“That’s it?”

“There are other ones. Lamias have darker earthy colors. While nagas, if they are successful, have bright, colorful scales.”

“So the scales should be a big give away?” Jack asks.

“If you know this difference, yes. But nagas are rare and don't interact with people. A naga will find a territory, make it as hard as possible to enter and stay in solitude for 200 years. It’s called self-care.”

“It’s called madness.” Jack laughs and pushes his forehead against Chase’s. He has found that Chase will let him say anything if it means he will get pampered. Like a touch starved snake. 

“Yes, sometimes nagas go mad during this period.” Chase closes his eyes, enjoying the contact. Then he felt a kiss on his cheek, he opened his eyes and greeted it by another one on his temple. “Jack?” 

“Mm?” Jack wasn’t paying attention, he was a bit dazed with those silver sparkles that come and go as they please.

“I think the clothes are dried.” They used their improvised holiday to do laundry. 

Jack jumps on the water splatting all around and then running to dry land. Chase stays on the rock a bit longer looking for the moon, he finds her hiding behind a cloud in the middle of the day, he glares at her because how dare she.

Chase, too goes back to land, careful leaving the rock and holding to it.

Jack laughs at the scene.

“Okay, how did you carve the symbol when you were smaller?” 

“I was reckless,” Chase offers, and once he is safely out of the lake’s grasp, he adds, “and I have a bad experience.” 

“Oh,” Jack folds the clothes and looks down, “sorry.”

“It was a long time ago. But I’m still cautious.” Chase looks at the water. “The lake is deceivingly deep.” 

“I also have a bad experience,” Jack fits all the clothes into the bag and gives it to Chase, “I was dancing over the water during a full moon, the only day in the month in which I can walk over water.”

“You can walk over water?” Chase straps the bag on his back and looks at Jack like he just admitted to being a deity.

“Only once a month,” Jack says, embarrassed, “all moon elves can.”

“Woah,” Chase says, genuinely amazed.

“It’s stunning,” Jack tells him and tries to squander the feeling of shame that raises within him. “Dancing under the full moon with your reflection under your feet.” Jack closes his eyes, remembering the day. 

Then Chase remembers that this was a bad experience. He puts his hand over Jack’s naked shoulder and squeezes, Jack opens his eyes to see the stern golden ones patiently waiting for him. 

“It snowed all day, that day,” Jack explained, “and the sky was still cloudy. My party, a group I belong to, we performed a dance. The town was watching us perform a dance to welcome winter. I practiced for that dance for months, but that night the moonlight disappeared under a cloud mid-dance. The moon lanterns were still up, and the others could continue to harness magic from them, I couldn’t so I sank. No one helped me because people didn’t understand I couldn’t just magic my way out. The water was freezing and dark, and above me, I could see the rest of my class dancing like nothing happened.” Jack moves to put on his clothes and adds. “Mother Ursula saved me.”

Chase follows close behind still unsure how to comfort people, he just stares at Jack.

“I wasn’t under for long, it wasn’t a big deal.” Jack puts his clean shirt on and smells it. The smell of forest and sun.

“It was.” Was all Chase could say, but it was enough.

“And you?” Jack asks, and Chase unties the rope before swinging over his shoulder.

“You see that tree with the words, ‘My tree,’ written three times.” 

“I see a tree.” Jack couldn’t read from far. 

“My sibling did it. She wanted to claim the lake. So I mark that rock.” Chase points to the rock they had been laying earlier. “Then they marked that rock,” he looks further in.

“Oh, getting risky there,” Jack says, looking at the not safe distance. 

“And I attended to mark that rock,” Chase points much further, and Jack’s stomach sank. He swam there, there was a hole with cold water, a deep end. “They followed me. We wrestled at the shore and raced to the rock. Whoever marks the rock first, gets the lake. They were smaller, lighter, and faster. I wasn’t. I tried to grab them. They slashed me in the face with their tail. I sank all the way to the bottom, and I thought I was going to die. Then I recognized that rock” Chase looked at the rock he marked, “I crawled out of the lake. I barely make it. When I emerged and came to it, all my siblings were waiting on the shore, hoping I would drown.”

“That’s dark. Can I say that?”

“Sure, but it wasn’t. I was much stronger than all my siblings. They knew in the future when we go out to look for territory, I will get the best and biggest land. They could coward and go to other places, a full year of travel. Or fight me and lose.” 

“Your childhood depresses me so much,” Jack says, half-joking half-serious and begins to walk ahead.

“Why?” Chase smirks at that not particularly affected by his childhood. “Because all my toys were rocks.” 

Jack turns, and his eyes widen, making the face Chase hope for. He moves ahead until he is lightly bumping against Jack. 

“I was going to ask,” Jack starts, but Chase bumps against him, forcing him to walk backward. He smiles at the naga’s increasingly playful behavior since Chase reversed the gold spell, a weight has been lifted off him, “if you used to hang out here, play or something? Since apparently, there was the only sculpturing and learning happening in the prairie. But never mind more near-death experiences.” 

“Not fun allowed, Jack,” Chase states.

“Wow, no wonder you did all the evil shit -” Jack was lifted, and Chase takes them in a different path. He looks at the gorgeous face of the naga, the golden eyes are focused, a mischievous spark lits them, and a happy smile spreads on his face. Happy looks good on him. “Where are we going?” Jack hugs Chase’s neck for security and fights the urge to kiss his jaw. The moon makes him more impulsive than he already is, and he feels like he is fighting a losing battle. 

“A place I actually like. Good memories.” 

“Oooh!” Jack exclaims excitedly. 

It wasn’t far. The trees became more space in between and more significant in size. The ground was bumpy with large rocks covered in moss, and birds sang, but Jack couldn’t see any. It was odd, must birds had gone for the fall. There was so much light, and the air smelled like it just rain. Chase stops looking between large, almost identical trees and goes ahead with one he recognizes. The naga very carefully climbs the tree, using his hands first to test the strength of a branch before putting his weight on it. It creaks and cries as Chase goes higher up. Then once they were up, Chase points down, between the tree and a rock wall was a hole in the ground.

“Please tell me you didn't spend your happiest memories of your childhood in a hole in the ground,” Jack says with a heavy touch of irony since a good chunk of his was spent in his parents’ basement. 

“It’s more than a hole in the ground, it’s a hole in a sacred ground full of a smaller rock.” Chase deadpans and smiles a bit when Jack bursts laughing. He stops when he hears his laughter again.

“Chase?” Jack hears his own laugh echo, and he clings to Chase.

“It’s the forest. This area is called the den of whispers. It listens and repeats everything it hears. People are scared of it and very few visits, but I find it to be friendly with a hack for pranking people.” 

“Oh?” Jack was about to make a joke about how Chase's childhood friend was an enchanted forest, but he stops when he sees the sincere smile, like returning home. “I can enjoy a good joke,” Jack says instead, and loud happy chirps of birds sing around them. Chase's smile shines into a full grin.

“Yes,” Chase says, fully aware of what Jack was thinking, “so can I.”

“What was your, um, lair’s name?”

“The place is called the den of whispers, but I like to call it nowhere,” Chase uses the end of his tail to lower Jack into the hole.

“‘Nowhere?’ really?” Jack drops from a safe distance, and he is surprised to see that the floor is wood. A wooden sanded and cleaned floorboards. The small cave was well lit by a system of mirrors to use the natural light. Shelves were carved into the call, and different crystals and pretty rocks were showcased with an engraved label. Neat piles of books and an old but well-kept telescope in a corner, in another corner thick fluffy skins, made a comfortable bed. There was more, a tunnel that goes down, but it was too dark for Jack to go. “How much time did you spend here?” All must have been done by hand.

“Most of my days, as soon as I could climb the rock barrier, I try to stay out. And this was a safe place. I never brought anyone here.” Chase says from afar, now he was far too big to fit in it. An odd sentiment he doesn’t recognize heavies his chest. 

“No one? They never ask where you go?” Jack smiles to himself after Chase told him he couldn’t trust him. The naga had been sharing more information with him, not just entertaining but useless childhood stories, but actual information. Chase told him of a shortcut to the lake, and how to determine which plants to eat in the area. 

“Yes, and I’ll tell them I was going Nowhere.”

“Oh! You were that kid!” Jack snorts at the image of an uncool Chase.

“I thought it was clever.” 

Jack has never been patient, but he found himself not in a rush with Chase. 

“The magic here is strong.” Jack can’t feel it, but he sees how there isn’t a speck of dust in the cave, and it has been a long time.

“Yes, another reason why is place is deserted, the forest messes with people and keeps them in until they go mad.” Chase has felt old and new magic flow in the air until they got here. A power so great it didn’t need to be loud to show its presence, it was allowed to be subtle. But to Chase, it was like getting drunk through the air.

“But we are safe?” Jack picks a book and flits through the pages, it was too dark to read. 

“I am,” Chase closes his eyes and feels the sun. The magic covers him lovingly like rain loves dirt. But on that cold morning, Chase was more thankful for the sun’s warmth than it’s magic. “I don’t know about you.”

“Please say you are joking,” Jack looks from a book about magic, Earth element, he wondered why Chase had that, but he assumed that the young naga would read anything he could find. 

“I am not. But you will be fine, as long as you are respectful and don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you.”

“What?! I’m a pleasure-”

“I stop you from shoplifting like 20 times this week, and I’m not exaggerating-”

“And I really want to take this telescope!”

“The telescope is mime, the land was just keeping it safe for me.” 

“Then, we can take it!” 

“Yes, you could take it, but you know you should avoid being outside at night. Leave it here, no reason to add more temptation.”

Jack looks at the telescope and pats the leather cover. At the feet of the tripod were a few candles. 

“What about candles and books?” Jack picks a candle; it was thick and heavy.

“Candles!” Chase forgot about them, “bring as many as you can!” He drops the bag with clean clothes, and Jack hurries to pick it up.

“Hey! Those were just washed!” Once in the light, Jack can see that the candle wasn’t the typical off-white but a bright red. “Are these spell candles?”

“You know them? I didn’t know moon elves use them.”

“We don’t, not commonly, but I learn about them when passing through a coven.” Jack picks the bag, it was the old one, it won’t do well with all the weight. “I can’t fill the bag, are you looking for a specific candle?” 

Chase leans in until the tree’s branch cries, and he looks at his old lair and feels nostalgic for the first time. Jack steps closer and gives Chase the red candle, unsure of what else to do.

“Yes,” Chase takes the candle and looks at it close, he works so hard in gathering them. He prepared each floorboard by hand, file down the wall, and learned his first summoning spell in Nowhere. But when he left, Chase didn’t give this childhood sanctuary a second thought.

Jack moves back to sorting through the piles of candles. He recognized the shape of the candles, but he couldn’t distinguish any color in the low light. 

“Which color means what?” Jack squints his eyes, but all look gray or black in the dark.

“Each can mean many things. Red is fire and power; I used red candles a lot.” Chase looks at the new candle in his hands. It was here that he summoned his first flame, and he forgot because he was too busy learning how to control fires much higher than a candle. 

Still.

The naga closes his eyes. He concentrates the warmth his skin has been soaking in for weeks into the tip of his finger. Chase snaps his fingers, and a spark is born. In almost childish awe, Chase lits the candle and enjoys the soothing flame. 

Jack turns, noticing the new light and moves to take the candle.

“Did you bring the fire rocks?” Jack takes the candle from Chase.

“No, I lit it myself,” Chase says, Jack nods and looks at the candle. Then he looks up to Chase. He points at the candle in disbelief, and then to Chase, the naga nods in confirmation. Jack lets out a loud celebratory squeal and jumps with no regard for safety to hug Chase. Chase puts his hands around Jack, laughing between all the praise, and lifting Jack from the floor. “Careful!” Chase looks at the little flame struggling to stay alive in the angle Jack carries it, but he is more distracted by Jack’s eyes. The elf’s red eyes were more perfect than the flame. The moment between them felt everlasting until slowing Chase lowers Jack to the ground. The pair still holds hands, not ready to part yet.

“Your magic is back,” Jack squeezes Chase’s hand, and the naga smiles.

“Every day I have been meditating and trying to rebuild my connection with the sun,” Chase explains, “and gradually, I have felt his embrace. But I wouldn’t seek it if you haven’t talked to me. I have once again to thank you, Jack.”

Jack wasn’t used to being thanked like that, so profoundly, he wipes his tears and nods.

“Knowing you, or what I know of you, you will figure something out.” Jack lets Chase’s hand go and searches for the candle. Jack is excellent at emotions as long as they don't get more profound than a cheer. “Which candle did you want?” 

“Some yellow, green, and black.” Chase a bit put off by the quick change.

Jack picks some candles and then shows them to Chase. The naga looks at the black, copper, yellow, and red candles, he tilts his head.

“I’m colorblind.” Jack lets out like it was a secret, which in a way it was.

“Oh, I’ll help you find a green one.” 

Jack puts his hand over a candle, and Chase lets him know if it’s green or not. There weren’t that many green candles. 

Once they get the candles, Chase helps Jack up, and immediately is blinded by the bright light. It was odd; his eyes got adjusted to the low light almost too quick. 

They take a moment for a quick goodbye and leave again.

The forests repeat their words as they leave.

Jack congratulates Chase about his new ability to light candles, happy but jealous. Jealous that Chase has a working connection to his element, but happy because magic was part of Chase. The elf could see a new spark lit on Chase that soon will be roaming fire. 

Once they were to what Jack considers a safe distance. 

Jack adds, “your friend is creepy.” 

Chase laughs, unable to defend Nowhere, and too happy to even pretend to be upset.

“I like it nonetheless.” 

Chase stops. Days ago, Jack would call it nowhere, but after being instructed in the paths and in naga’s runes, he could tell it was a fork in the road. Jack looks at two runes, each carved in a tree facing each other.

The one going uphill means nursery, but Jack didn’t recognize the other. 

“What does that one mean?”

“‘People,’ there used to be a path where the village stands today. Jack, since we are planning to leave after the full moon, which will be here in a week, you should go pay Mada a visit.”

“I would, but we are busy.” Jack has been using that excuse since they joined the Duchess' entertainment group.

“Yes,” Chase agrees, “but today we have time.”

“Ummm, we have to put the clean clothes back.”

“I can do that, and I’ll meet you after at Mada’s office later.” 

Jack crosses his arms and looks down. This is something they have talked about, Jack has to get a doctor’s approval or partial approval to travel. If it was up to the elf, he wouldn’t visit the healer at all. But the naga has been very vocal about not wanting to travel with Jack only to get stuck halfway with a sick elf or worse deadweight. All arguments and pleas had fallen in deaf ears, Jack even had been routinely taking all the medicine Mada sent him, and the only excuse Jack has is to be too busy to visit Mada.

“We are almost out of money-”

“I’ll meet you there, Jack,” Chase says before leaving.

Jack lets out a dramatic sigh and kicks a small rock in his path. He could not go, but he really doesn't want to deal with the aftermath of that. 

  
  


The elf goes down to town and waits in the wooden chairs, he has gone to enough doctor visits for a lifetime, and he doesn’t need another one.

Mada was surprised to see him.

“Jack? Is Chase coming to check his wounds? They should be healed by now.” Mada steps out, disposing a dirty apron on a mesh basket. Her brown eyes held equal part care and curiosity. 

“He is good, the scales are even stronger, and you can’t even lift them now,” Jack tells her with a little smile. Mada is willing to make visits at any hour of the day or night, so Chase has his check once a week after practice. 

“Are you here to see me?” Mada leans on her door frame and cleans her glasses. 

“I wanted to check if you got any more ginger tea.”

“Ah? I got some yesterday. You are lucky it is not popular at all!” Mada laughs, she often prescribes for people with weak immune systems, but few actually enjoy the taste. 

“It just needs a bit of honey and boils it for a short time,” Jack relaxes a bit talking about tea, a subject he has become knowledgeable about because of Chase, “or add orange peel!” 

“Orange peel?” Mada closes her eyes deep in thought, “I’ll have to investigate that.” 

They continued to talk about tea and other subjects far from Jack’s health until they saw Chase from a distance. 

Jack stands and walks into the little house. Mada follows right after.

“Are we hiding? Cause I’m sure he saw us, but I have a backdoor that-”

“No, um. Thank you, but no. I’m supposed to have another section with you, but I’m sure you remember the one from before, so can we just re-use that except this time you say I can travel or something along those lines, please?” 

“You want a consultation?” Mada deciphers.

“No, I just want your approval stamp,” Jack explains, and Mada crosses her arms.

“After you lied to me last time.” She frowns, her friendly attitude done for the first time.

“Lie?” Jack backs away, confused.

“I’m a professional Jack, and I know when someone lies to me about their illness. But you, oh, you were good. Everything you said made sense like you heard from a doctor,” because Jack did, “the intensity was worrying some, but you were calm like this was your normal. You were surprised by the different medicine and calm about the doses, just like any chronic patient after changing doctors.” Mada glares at Jack, trying to figure something out. “You are sick, I can tell, but you still lie. I don’t know why.”

“I didn’t lie!” Jack felt angry and disgruntled. Why would he lie about being sick?

“I refuse to treat you if you are going to lie to me!” Mada waves her finger aggressively, and it takes all Jack has in him not to smack it away from his face. Memories of his old life explode in his brain; this was just like when his doctors found out he was lying to be allowed outside.

“Why would I lie about being sick? If anything, I would tell you that I’m fine.” Jack felt hands on his side, guiding him to take a seat, and he let her. A cup of water and a shushing voice, and Jack drinks from the glass. Just then, he noticed he was crying.

“I’m sorry,” Mada’s voice was cautious, she is the only healer in weeks of travel who deals with opiates, and she has seen her share of characters. But still, she can never take the chance of denying help to someone in need, “I get all paranoiac at times, and it wasn’t fair to you.” 

“No, I just, I don’t know why but the moon is pulling me in old directions. Places I moved on from.” Jack takes another sip. “What is this?”

“Pedialyte,” Mada rubs his back, “drink slowly.” Once Jack is drinking, and his crying has stopped, Mada speaks again. “You told me you felt out of air after running for less than a minute.”

“Yes,” Jack looks at his drink.

“I see you every day go up and down that hill,” Mada waits for the evidence to sink in Jack’s brain.

“I don’t longer get out of breath like that,” Jack reconsiders, he did when he was a child. Jack used to have terrible asthma and weak lungs. “I still suck at holding my breath underwater.”

“Mm,” Mada nods to that piece of information, “were you sick as a child?” 

“Very,” Jack thinks back then.

“Did you answer questions like the ones I asked you constantly?”

“Weekly.”

“Did you learn to answer out of memory?”

Jack stops; he was so stressed that he just let his mouth talk, and with those old memories pestering his brain, he told Mada all the old answers.

“I think I gave you my old illnesses.” Jack blinks.

“And I gave you your old prognosis.” Mada moves away and puts on a new clean apron. “Wanna try again?”

Jack was honest and took the time to answer each question, and it was helpful that Mada didn’t rush him and kindly answer any doubts. She asked about his travels and the different alternative magic and remedies Jack tried until he came to learn how to live with or ignore symptoms that didn’t go away.

It was disappointing to hear that many of Jack’s old illnesses hadn't faded away, simply his young body was forced to keep up, but he will pay the price in his later life. However, the diagnosis was much more moderate. Travel was not encouraged, since Jack has a mild heart condition, but it wasn’t allowed under a warning. 

Jack looks at the paper Mada gave him; it was, in comparison to the pages his parents used to receive after every consultation, tiny.

Before leaving, the doctor gave him one last advice, “Jack, if the moon is taking you back to your past, maybe there is something she wants you to face.” 

The sunset was on its way when Jack stepped out, and Chase was observing his knife.

“Did Gramps find something?” Jack pulls the four gold coins, and even though it was half of their capital, he felt happy paying Mada. 

“No, he told me he had looked at every  b ook, note, and piece of information he has about magical artifacts,  but he knows no more about the knife that he did when he first cleaned it. He sends you some nails.” Chase looks at the small cloth bag Jack carries. “How was your visit with Mada?” The naga picks the bag and starts going back up. Jack climbs on his back, and they don’t have time to waste since it will be night soon.

“Good, like actually good. She told me I could travel but to search for heart, skin, and eye specialists if possible. In that order too.” Jack felt optimistic, “but besides that, she said that I’m healthy! She even congratulated me on my weight.” Jack talks so happily, unaware of the crescent moon which follows them. 

Chase listens. He was relieved to hear that Jack was in good health, relatively speaking, and that their plans didn’t have to change more than they already had.

They made uphill, passed the rock wall, and into their cave, passing the rock path. 

Jack goes to prepare their bedding and sets the washing station, while Chase goes to check on the rabbits they are fattening on their fence. The wind was calm, a breeze just caressing the grass. Everything was well, and they slept until morning.

The morning wasn’t more different than the last, except that Jack asked Chase to train him in fighting techniques. It had been an ironic true that Jack didn't know how to use a knife, not for fighting at least. The elf was weak towards pain, or so he excused, plus a terrible fighter, so he avoids fights. Therefore, he never learned how to use the dagger he stole. He was taught a long time ago, but he didn’t pay enough attention to retained anything. 

Chase agreed but told him to use a branch instead of his selenite dagger, which due to its new sharpness, has been renamed ‘kitchen knife.’

Jack was awful. He has slow reflects and no control over his movements. 

All of Jack’s movements were big and grand, almost exaggerated, instead of defined and graceful like a dagger willer should be. 

Still, it was nice to train with someone else, so Chase took his new apprentice, adding a new layer to their already hard to define relationship.

They end up rushing over their morning routine; both got so into a conversation about fighting stands.

They run down the hill and into the town just in time to be only a little late to practice. The pair didn’t care about yesterday because the director wasn’t in. And when the director is absent, Jasmine takes over, and they care not for Jasmine. 

A tiny woman carrying loads of clothes on her back and a notebook and quill on her hands look at the pair. 

“You are late!” Jasmine spats out, angry to be kept waiting, but even more so that Jack and Chase skipped practice yesterday.

“Jack?” The director calls, and Jack jump-off, and speedwalks pass Jasmine. 

“Here!” Jasmine stares into Chase’s eyes like a madwoman with more regard for her own life.

“Just in time! Jasmine, baby, please bring Jack’s costume.” 

Jasmine turns to obey and feels Chase moving into the room, she turns and points decisively. “NO,” she hisses. 

“You can’t keep me out of the room, Miss. Jasmine.” Chase did not get along with Jasmine.

“We are 3 days away from the event, and we have no time for big changes or nitpicking my designs so-”

“Jasmine!” 

“Coming director Lee,” She shouts back.

“After you, Miss. Jasmine,” Chase does a little bow, mostly to get into the room, but also to mock her, “royal designer.” 

“Listen to you little shit.” She whispers so only Chase can hear and doesn’t even flinch at those golden eyes angry. “I don’t care what you have to say this is my big chance to make my name known between the nobles and you with your-”   
“Jasmine!” The director moves to them and looks at Chase, “Oh, Chase comes too, you always offer the best critics!”

They move into the corner of the room, where the storytellers try on their costumes. 

Today was their first dress rehearsal, it was supposed to be last week, but the clothes were not ready. And no one agrees on who to blame for that.

The director blames Jasmine, a young new tailor who someone got the role to design and sew all the costumes for his group.

Chase, the director’s favorite, blames the abstract theme, ‘found riches in the wild.’ The concept Jasmine was given to work was the image of fine jewelry found in the grass on a morning day. He said that even a talented designer might struggle with such an ugly concept. That’s why Chase opposed the green fabric or color absents; it was a night event. Also, Chase was very vocal about the shape of the clothing or how boring it was to have all dress the same. Because of the lousy theme, poor Jasmine has been forced to change the direction of her designs four times in two weeks. 

Jasmine blames Chase. She agreed with him about the theme and the color choices. She thought that maybe she found an ally in this tiny village who has taste and class. Since Chase was the only one, besides the director, with experience dealing with nobility. But the man was a ruthless credit with no care for her vision. Chase alone has forced so many changes in her designs that just now, she is done after working day and night without rest. 

The storytellers have renaissance apparel but black instead of the usual bright colors that show status. There were many details done by layering small petals of fabric and piped each outline with a thin wire, which appears to be silver tread. The sleeves were the most complicated piece; they were big and had a small design of a vine. The grand sleeves were balanced by having the pants and chest be fit and had a more minimal quilt design.

Jasmine nervously explains to the director her reasoning behind each decision. Her words come to a stop, and Chase moves close to Jack to inspect the stitching up close. The director praises his eye for detail, and he too goes close to look at her work.

Jack looks spectacular in the clothes; the black highlights his pale skin, and the silver pairs beautifully with his red eyes. 

“These clothes are so well thought out,” Chase says, cupping Jack’s face slowly. He cares more for Jasmine’s suspicious glares than Pato’s jealous ones.

“Lots of detail, it looks costly,” the director agrees, impressed with what the new tailor could do with her given budget.

“But the braid?” Chase tilts Jack’s face to the side to look at the messy french braid.

“What about the braid?” Jasmine couldn’t keep the frustration out of her tone.

“Mm,” the director looks and nods, “it feels like an afterthought.”

“So, hats?” Jasmine steps to look at Jack, but she knew better than to step too close.

“I think he looks great!” Pato forces himself in the inner circle and moves a step too close to the pair.

“Thank you,” Jack says, feeling a little off with all the eyes on him. Pato smiles, feeling like he defended Jack somehow.

“It’s not enough,” Chase releases Jack and gives him one last brush with his thumb, “but a hat will be too much.” Chase ignores Pato, who just grows more bitter. He attends to grab Jack and take him away from the growing crow, but Jasmine moves in, pushing him out.

“Do YOU mind?” She has been more irritable with each passing day. Pato moves out angrily. “Do you mind?” She asks softly, and Jack kneels lower so she can reach his hair. Jasmine likes Jack, he doesn’t complain and has loved all her designs. She undoes the braid and expertly redoes it, but with the silver, wires braid alone the short hair. 

Chase and the director nod approvingly.

“It's like a different outfit.” The director exclaims happily and gives her first approved look out of four. 

“It isn’t,” She whispers to herself as they move to the next group.

The singers wore big fancy Victorian dresses with long trains. It was walking the fine line of overdesigning and it-looks-so-detail-it-feels-it-walk-of-a-painting. But the director felt the dress was just naked without a corset. 

“A corset? Make 6 corsets in 3 days?”

“2, the last day must be used to travel to our destination.”

“Yes, of course, I’ll have it done.”    


The acrobat has a thigh costume with a revealing front panel covered by a transparent mesh. The outfit was more silver than black, and the multiple cuts throughout the fabric allow for large movements. Another approved look.

Four instrument players were counting Chase, but they looked at the outfit for the three. It was by far the simpler clothes. It was refined and minimal with long skirts, long open sleeves, and silver wire used to make a detailed corset. They wore beautiful headpieces, and Chase will admit, it was a master's work. Jasmine’s heart softens at those words; she will agree that her work has significantly improved in the last two weeks.

Lastly, the very last and more challenging look; Chase’s.

The director said that he has to start giving critics to the group and that if Chase approves the outfit, then it’s just as he approves it himself.

“Thank you,” Chase was happy and surprised when his request to have a completely different outfit just cause he wants to was approved. 

“No, Chase, you let me hear music that I haven’t heard in… decades, it has been decades. You took me back when my grandma will play for my family. You are the star of this show.” He emphasizes each sentence more than the last.

Chase turns and sees something new on Jasmine; he can’t name it. They go under a tree where Jasmine has set a ladder to help her reach Chase.

Jasmine picks her last outfit and looks at it with an objective eye. The smooth black, golden trims and embroidery work was by far her best. It was beautiful.

She could feel Chase looking above her shoulder.

Jasmine wasn’t a religious woman, but she has already been to hell.

“What?” She says without looking up.

“It’s a bit plain.” 

“Last time you said it was ‘busy,’” Jasmine turns no longer fazed by the critic, “look at the detailed embroidery on the cuff and neck. It’s golden just like you asked, and it’s high class.”

“Does it feel flowery for you?” 

“Well, I was going for flowery so good,” Jasmine holds her gaze before turning the jacket and revealing the golden snake wrap once in a golden arrow. It is, by any measurements, a showstopper. Every scale has been sewn to perfection with a mixture of golden and yellow threads to create depth, and metallic thread to add more texture to the rich imagery. “Because you have a pretty face, I want that to be the focal point, but when you turn, I want something that screams beautiful and deadly but in a classy way,” Jasmine explains, feeling satisfied with herself.

“It’s everything,” Chase takes the garment and carefully puts on. Jasmine helps him and bottoms up the jacket. “It fits perfectly.”

“There is an underlayer I can get rid of if you put up a size,” Jasmine adds, “ _ again _ .”

Chase was bigger than anyone she worked with before, a challenge on its own. He also was knowledgeable in fashion and had pretty strong opinions on everything she designs. And to make things worse, he has been getting bigger every other day. Not enough to make a difference, unless you are trying to tailor an outfit. 

Plus, Chase is the director’s favorite, so she could never say no to him. But now it is over, he stands wearing the most beautiful garment she has made, and she has proven herself. 

“Miss. Jasmine, this is your best work yet.” Chase uses the small mirror to look at the details. The tailor sits on the steps on her ladder and smiles, she has honestly gotten better.

“You know Chase, next time someone calls me ‘Miss,’ they are gonna mean it.” She closes her eyes and lets herself fantasize about a faraway future when she has opened a boutique in a city. 

“I do things to mock you,” Chase looks at the shiny thread, “but not your name. I respect your skill, but I can’t pretend it is more than it is. You will get there.” 

Jasmine nods and opens his eyes. 

“Thank you.”

The rest of the day was practicing their individual acts. No one was allowed to eat with their outfits, and Jasmine threatened to kill whoever took their costumes home. 

Chase took his costume home.

The day after, Jasmine screamed at him until the director sent her away. 

And those next two days were nonstop practice, full with critics and stress. But somehow, everything that had to be accomplished was.

Chase and Jack eat an early lunch together in front of a fire before leaving for the Duchess’ state. Chase has to keep an open eye since Jack keeps trying to ‘hold’ the fire. It didn’t help that Chase can hold fire, but Jack’s no existence impulse control did not understand that Chase could use magic. 

Jack drinks his tea with an extra spoon of honey, and Chase relaxes his hands on the fire. 

The morning was like the one before, serene and pleasant. 

The moon was no longer a problem, once they figured out a schedule to keep Jack away from her. The routine helped Jack to stay grounded and Chase to strengthen his connection to the sun. Their rock oven warms them nicely, and their cave has grown comfortable with all the amenities Jack has added to it. Cabinets, a bed, a roof, a reliable water source, and a vegetable and herb garden that was starting to sprout. The village people were agreeable, and each other’s companionship lovely.

It wasn’t a luxurious life, but it wasn’t without charm.

It was thought both silently contemplated. 

“Nervous?” Jack asks before going their way. The director allowed them to go separate from the group since Chase is faster than horses. 

“No,” Chase lies, “I already fought in front of an audience. Playing an instrument won’t be any harder.”

They talk through their trip, mostly Jack practicing his lines and Chase letting him know what he thinks. They agree that they could use their new skills in the way to make some money if needed. 

The pair takes only two hours to make it to the Duchess’ state. 

The mansion was an immense building with vast lush gardens. Tall trees surround the estate, vines climb over the metal fence, fragrant flowers scattered throughout the property, and decorative bushes lined up the entrance. Servants busy themselves preparing any last-minute errands. Chase noticed a group of heavily armored and armed men trying to flirt with the catering staff, but they moved in and out, setting tables. 

“You two, Lovebirds!” Jasmine screams and signals them to come closer. “We only have a few hours left, and the director left me in charge.” She waves from the tops of a carriage. 

“You?” Jack and Chase tilted their heads simultaneously. 

“Yes! Me. You tall divas. Now Jack, go with your group and get dressed. Chase come with me, I’m doing your makeup!” 

They obey. 

Chase goes to the side of the carriage surprise to look up to Jasmine.

“This must be an odd feeling for you.”

“Shut it,” She warms, “you stole an outfit, and got her an hour late.” She cleans Chase's face with a wet towel before working. Thankfully, Chase's skin was perfect, and she could skip foundation and primer. 

“I liked it, I wanted to wear it longer.” Chase puts his hands on the carriage roof and lets Jasmine lean on him so she can draw a black outline on his eyelid. An odd memory comes to mind. “Do you know that I used to kill people who spoke that way to me?” 

Surprisingly, the confession didn’t scare Jasmine, just intrigue her. 

“Why stop?” 

“I lost the power to keep up that habit,” Chase answered plenty.

“Sucks.” She spreads a paste over his eyelids and them over his cheeks. “If I have that power, I would be a tyrant.” 

“But here we are,” Chase picks the mirror and smiles at his reflection. The black outline and the golden eyeshadow were pretty on him. He has always liked shiny and golden things, so he feels joy from seeing it on his face. He tilts the mirror to better appreciate Jasmine’s work, “for now.”

“For now,” Jasmine repeats, and at that moment, she felt fondness from Chase. “Snake?” She picks the jacket and helps Chase put it on. The black fabric hugs his body sinfully from his neck, chest, and the beginning of those beautiful green scales. 

“Tailor?” Chase feels the embroidery and smiles. He used to wear luxurious clothes, just like this one. Maybe this simple life has its charms.

“Be vigilant tonight.” She hopes this will alleviate her guilt if something happens, but obviously, the naga tilts his head in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. It is just that people always die at this event, mostly fighters but also others. You will be fine, just be vigilant. Do your work and return home where it is safe. I’m leaving after sending you guys off.” 

Jasmine climbs the stairs down, and Chase knows that pressing her for more will not lead to anything. He considers talking to other members of the group who might know something, but after a quick mental check, Chase noticed that they are all travelers. Chase knew this. He found it peculiar but not worth mentioning. But if something strange is to happen tonight, then it will make sense that no people from the village would be involved.

Chase goes to look for Jack. The other two storytellers tell him that Pato and Jack left a moment ago.

He goes in their direction and finds Jack walking back and Pato following behind.

“Jack,” Chase catches the elf who looks upset.

“Chase!” Jack sighs that name with relief. He smiles brightly at the Chase Young, standing in front of him. Chase was above all peasants. That's all Jack could think. The jacket curves against his body in a way that makes Jack jealous and the golden details highlight his eyes. The elf presses his face on the new and comfortable jacket. “Chase.”

Pato stops at a safe distance. This is something he does, he looks for Jack when Chase isn’t around, but as soon as Chase shows up, he walks away shooting daggers at Chase.

“Is everything okay?” Chase couldn’t wait until they could stop interacting with him altogether. The human leaves.

“Yes, yes. Pato heard I had been going to visit Mada and,” Jack frowns, trying to figure out how to say the next part. Then he puffs a little laugh and continues shaking his head, “he thought you were the reason I need to visit a doctor.”

“He thought I was hurting you?” Chase surprised, he has been nothing in the eyes of the public as a devoted lover. And understanding of Jack’s antics. “Me?” 

“He is delusional, but now I know his angle!” Jack explains. “All the presents and compliments of my storytelling, pff. He offered to run away with him tomorrow after getting pay. He said he knows a city where we can find good work. And you know, humans love elves.” 

“A business proposition?” Chase prefers that to Pato being infatuated with Jack.

“And a romantic one. I told him to beat it.” Jack shrugs.

“We will deal with him later,” Chase made a mental note that Pato continued to follow Jack. The elf was taller than the human, but Jack didn’t know how to fight. “But Jasmine just gave me ominous advice to be vigilant.”

“Jasmine? Maybe she was trying to scare you. I think she hates you.” 

“Maybe, but why take chances? Be careful Jack, and if anything happens-”

“Meet you at home?” Jack nods and formulates a plan of what to do. “I might steal a horse. I saw the stables are not far from here.” 

“Yes.” Chase feels odd. This is the first time he refers to the prairie as home. 

Jack was called for makeup, and Chase was guided to a room. 

The vast halls with the large windows were pretty. The paintings of aristocrats and golden frames were expensive. The blue tile and tall ceiling in the room, of the many living rooms, Chase has been assigned was of high taste. A black guzheng waits for Chase, it wasn’t in the center of the room, but it left enough space for people to walk behind him.

“I’m an attraction.” Chase finds his place low in the ground and pulls with his nail a string. The note fills the room. 

Chase begins to play, and the room fills with something besides the velvet couches and exorbitant decorations. 

Slowly, party goers slip in, gush over Chase like he wasn’t there, and then slip out to another room filled with a different attraction. 

Chase found himself concentrating on the song until a pair of eyes found him and continued to observe. A man in a tailored suit sat in front of him and sipped from a tall glass of champagne. The dark skin and playful smirk made his already attractive face interesting. He talks with other party-goers but stays when others leave. People leave coins in a vase at the entrance of the door, and the man-made an ordeal to drop a high number of coins, taking a break between every few so Chase could hear them click at the bottom. 

Once the night comes, all party goers are summoned to the feast so the party can actually start. Their whole act, entertainment group, hired and practiced their own acts for over two weeks is a welcoming committee. An obscene showcase of wealth; this was the life Chase wanted long ago. 

“I would like to thank you, I haven’t heard the guzheng play so beautifully in-” the man moves closer, and Chase stands up to his usual position towering over the human.

“You give me too much credit,” Chase was far from an expert. But whatever the man planning to say was lost in shock. The naga slides back and out of the room, taking a second to look into his vase, the first night, and it was half full, and happily, he goes to look for Jack; it will be best if they remain closed.

“I apologize for my silence,” the man runs after Chase.

“Don’t, please, it's a party after all.” Chase tilts his head to the empty flute glass the man was still holding, one of many Chase saw him consume. 

“I was shocked by your beauty,” The man blushes and Chase smirks.

“I have been told my beauty is quite shocking,” Chase fixes a strand of black hairs that fall over his eye, “I will let you recover.” Chase moves again, but the man calls still.

“Also, Chase Young, I recognize you from a palace painting. I’m a trader from the Echodour Kingdom, the land of fertility.” 

Chase stops. The Echodour Kingdom was his first ally back when he raised his own kingdom in the desert.

“Has time been kind to them?” Chase asks, more curious than bitter.

“Generous, they are one of the major exporters of food and have many prosperous alliances.” 

“How marvelous.” Now Chase’s bitterness outweighs his curiosity. When Chase met the royal family of the Echodour Kingdom, they were two steps into bankruptcy and one from a civil revolt. They were trying to outcompete their neighbor kingdoms in the mining of gold, but their land didn’t have enough gold. Chase paid them to use their fields so he could take their food back to his kingdom. The Echodour Kingdom had such fruitful harvests that they talk about trading with other lands. “Thank you for this news,” Chase turns to leave again, “I will cherish them.” 

“You are well respected in the royal family!” Chase stops, but he doesn’t turn to face the man. He assumed that everyone forgot him. The life that he lived was long gone and buried. “They give you credit to much of their success, so if you wish, your highness, I can arrange a visit.”

“I will consider your proposition,” Chase hasn’t even considered any remains of his life could have survived. He has been so focused on moving ahead, getting out of the desert, and strengthening his weak state, that he didn’t bother to see if anything was left. Of course, Chase has no reason to trust this man, “but I need to meet with my group.”

“Yes,” the man was put off by Chase’s lack of enthusiasm, “I’ll stay for a few days. Please, search for me if you wish to know more, ask for Baron Lecrox.” 

Without more delay, Chase leaves him.

Questions he can’t answer flood Chase’s mind. And undoubtedly, he has left Baron Lecrox with some questions of his own. The naga looked at the many portraits in the hall as he advanced and noticed that all of them are magical creatures. He continues until he finds a familiar one. It shows a ferocious battle. Large half snake half human fights for a valley not too far from here. In the center of the painting was Chase screaming and driving a long sword into the chest of another naga. He was wearing a black and green armor, and his back was covered with arrows. In the background, it was his army turning the war in their favor. The valley war. 

Chase leaves the painting and finds the room Jack is supposed to be. In the door frame, a young elf leans in. His skin was a light purple, and he had long horns that curved in and out. The man faces Chase, but his calm gray eyes do not detect him, all his attention is inside the room, his ear facing the room to carefully hear the story Jack was telling. The elf features were similar to Jack’s, but his were more delicate. A small fox jumps between them, so Chase couldn’t move any closer.

“Sorry,” the elf notices Chase once the fox makes a little sound, he takes a step back and bows light while his arm points into the door, “I didn’t mean to black the entrance.” 

“You were not, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Chase was surprised to see an elf at the party. It is evident by the lean and soft nature of the man that he was not a fighter, plus he was blind or nearly blind since he talked to Chase’s chest and redirected his face to look up only after Chase spoke. His expensive clothes point him to be a party goer, but elves usually avoid large crowds. “Are you planning to enter? I heard great things about this room.” Chase looks at the sea of people sitting on the floor surrounding Jack while the elf tells a definitely non-approved tale. 

“I’m building my courage to,” the elf smiles, naively unaware of everything that will happen. “I’m Perlen from the Gibbous clan.” 

“I’m Chase,” Chase considers if he should say more or not. Perlen waits for more but nods once he understands that this all.

“Most creatures here offer no clan name.” It wasn’t a critic but a commentary.

“If they are here, in a mostly human party, they most likely left their clan behind,” Chase looks at Jack happily jumping from one point to another, and his audience clap delighted by his antics. “Some might never have one, to begin with.”

“Not everyone likes their family,” Perlen adds, looking sad at nowhere in particular. “That’s why it is important to form bonds with others. People who you can trust and grow to love. Everything in this world can be burned, except for those bonds we make.” 

Usually, Chase would be put off by the corny line, but with everything that has happened, he has to think about those words. He knows better than most that riches and statues will not follow you when you fall. He also knows that he failed to make any real allies in his past life, but now he has Jack. Someone who Chase could trust. 

People applaud, and Jack takes his bow. 

Soon they squeeze out the door to go to the main room where the feast will be served.

“Sylarus,” Perlen moves inside the room as soon as Jack is left alone.

Chase stays outside. 

“Who?” Jack tries to lower his voice.

“Sylarus, I hear you before I know it is you! Please don’t play with me,” Perlen moves closer to Jack, and he throws a coin in a different direction, the coin falls with a click against the tile. “Are you trying to deceive me?!”

“No, I just,” Jack looks at Chase and then back at Perlen. “What are you doing here, Perlen?”

“I’m traveling as a passing rite, in three more moon cycles I’ll be an adult, and I need to know the world outside the clan for that.”

“Are you traveling alone?” Jack looks at the fox and kneels to pet the animal. “Besides Sparkle, of course.”

“Yes, but the clan is not far from here-”

“The Clan is Here!” Jack stands up and looks around like he might see another elf hiding behind the curtain. “Do they know that I’m here?” The dread in Jack’s voice was apparent. 

“No,” Perlen couldn’t help to feel hurt, “I found you by accident, but Sylarus, you need to come back home.”

“Good! Don’t tell anyone. I don’t want anyone to know I’m here.”

“Sylarus, your parents have cried for you, they think you are dead!”

“I Don’t Care!” Jack screams so loudly, Chase backs without meaning to. This is the first time he sees Jack cry like this. Tears stream down his face, and Jack has difficulty breathing. 

“You. You don’t mean that” Perlen shakes his head, “you are mad, but you don’t mean that.” He takes Jack’s hand. The elf first pulled his hand away, but Perlen kept his extended, and hesitantly Jack held his hand. “Sylarus, I have missed you so much!” Perlen pulls Jack, but he stays in place.

“I miss you too,” Jack shakes almost violently as he cries, and he allows Perlen to hug him. “I only miss you,” Jack says between breaths.

“Sylarus, the next moon is a blue moon.” Jack opens his eyes, startled, and looks for Chase.

“I didn’t know that.” Jack’s eyes were a dull red, his makeup ruined, and his lips were into the deepest pout Chase has seen him. Chase didn’t know how to comfort Jack. “I have felt her calling louder, but I didn’t think,” Jack drops the sentence.

“You need to come home-”

“No-” Jack pushes Perlen away.

“Sylarus, the blue moon is unforgiving and more powerful than most. She will kill you.” Perler holds Jack, who stops resisting. “The clan can protect you.

“Like they always did?” Jack asks.

“Yes, like they always did.” 

Jack wipes his face and nods.

“I don’t want to die.” 

“And I won’t let you die.” Perlen squeezes jack’s shoulders. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Jack replays, and after a pause, he continues. “I’ll get my things, wait here.” Jack turns and points Chase to get out.

Chase blinks at the whole scene. It was something he wasn’t supposed to see; now, he knows things he wasn’t supposed to know, and he heard things he wished he hadn't.

Jack squeezes past the naga when he doesn’t move and walks down the hall. 

Chase stands there, holding his chest. He wasn’t sure why. 

Once, in a fight, an enemy cut him with a short sword between his chest. They meant to stab his heart, but they lacked the strength, so instead, they pulled the knife down, gutting him like an animal. Chase almost died that day. Tonight, Chase looks at his chest since he felt like he had just been gutted alive. 

Jack calls for him, and Chase moves forwards. 

Not now.

They go in silence past the hall into the party and out to the gardens. 

The pair finds a place secluded enough to speak.

“We have to leave,” Jack looks around nervous that someone will find them, “as soon as we can. We take our money and run back home, waiting for the blue moon to pass.”

“The blue moon,” there were many things Chase wanted to ask, but that one felt the safest, “sounds troublesome.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Jack laughs and looks at the edge of the property, on the trees of the tall forest the state faces. 

“I really don’t,” Chase looks in the same direction and finds an odd cluster of branches, “Jack, there are people in the trees.”

“Shit! Fuck me!” Jack uses Chase to hide, but there is no use. “Let's go back inside.”

“What is the blue moon?” Chase moves so he can cover Jack the most.

“The blue moon is a special phase of the moon, comes out every thousand years or so.”

“I’m certain I have seen a blue moon before,” Chase frowns.

“Sure, those are blue moons, but we were talking about The Blue Moon. A totally different thing.” They entered the party and struggled to pull through the crow. “It is supposed to be a time for deep thought and changed. They said she is ruthless.” 

“Could it kill you?” Chase asks and looks as the famous duchess’ presence is announced. She caught his eye.

“Yes,” Jack looks at the floor and then straightens his posture, “but I’m much stronger than before.” The elf searches to Chase, but he is focused on the duchess. “What?”

Chase looks down at Jack and carefully analyses him like he is trying to find something he hasn’t seen yet.

“You cannot see it, can you?” Chase looks back up to her, and she was looking at Chase.

“What?” Jack asks.

“She isn’t human. She is a shapeshifter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So lots happen in this one and I'm finally back to the plot, I feel like it takes me forever to get from one point to another lol. But I really like writing about their interactions.  
> Let me know what you guys think ^0^  
> Guess who is the next show character to show up!
> 
> For anyone who wants to read more about phytons facts: https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/110/51/20645.full.pdf  
> P.S: id didn't read this for my fic :P


	7. Rebirth by fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase fights the duchess and comes to some realizations about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit more gore than usual but it goes by fast.

Chapter 7

**Rebirth by fire**

The violin and flute sing a playful tune, and the room moves in fast pace circles. Socialites in fancy gowns gracefully twirl, and Chase and Jack advance, taking the center of the dancefloor. Jack has his hand in Chase’s hip, curling his fingers in the black fabric until he can feel the warm skin underneath. While Chase rests his hand in Jack’s shoulder, squeezing the elf lightly. They hold each other’s free hand and interlace fingers. 

Neither are used to a close dance like a waltz, but they have grown comfortable in being each other’s personal space.

“Is she still looking?” Jack asks as he kicks Chase again. He isn’t used to dancing with anyone this close, and his dance partner occupies a lot of their space.

“Yes,” it was taking more effort than he remembers to dance without tripping over his tail. Adding a sea of dancers circling dangerously close to him increase the difficulty. Jack kicking him every other step doesn’t help, “I was under the impression that elves were graceful, or is there something to wish to tell me, dear Jack.”

Jack snorts and avoids kicking Chase two times in a row. The elf eyes were pink from crying, and the black eyeliner has left gray tear trails in his pale skin. But he still laughs energetically with Chase.

“Okay, so what do we know?” Jack breaths out when he stops laughing.

“Jasmine told me to be ‘vigilant,’” Chase starts. “Not anyone else, just me.”   
“So most likely my old clan being here is but a big coincidence. Hopefully is just a small group looking after Perlen. I’m surprised they let him out with such a long leash.”

“He seems competent, in our short interaction,” Chase doesn’t mention how both elves have confessed their love to each other mere hours ago, but Jack was planning on leaving him behind again. Not even sharing his new name with his old flame, Chase noticed. 

“He is! I’m sure more so now than when we were children. But the clan can be very,” Jack considers his words, “controlling.” 

Chase nods, understanding a little more of the experiences that had let Jack today. 

“I found it odd that she said ‘vigilant,’ an unusual word for a young seamstress who can’t write or read.”

“Like she was repeating something that someone told her. Who?” Jack is twirled without much warming, and Chase smirks at the flustered elf trying to catch his footing.

“The director.” Chase leans to talk closer to Jack. The elf’s ruby eyes shine impressed and encourage Chase to continue. “Jasmine and the director were the only local people working in our group. They knew something happens here every tournament. Something that requires recruiting travelers instead of local workers, since locals will not come here.”

“Jasmine left as soon as she was done, even though she had to go back on foot,” Jack remembers.

“Even Grammy mentioned how her inn reached capacity during the tournament’s week. But no noble will sleep there; she must mean workers come from out of town.” 

“The director gave you an obvious special treatment,” Jack complains, and Chase pulls him up. “I was starting to think he had a thing for you.”

“The duchess is a shapeshifter and most likely eats or sacrifices a magical creature for some sort of power ritual.” They come close enough to touch each others’ cheek, “and he fancies me.” Then he goes in a tight circle before descending back down and lowering Jack into a dip. 

“Shouldn’t we avoid attention?” Jack lets his weight rest in Chase’s arm and extends one of his legs out in an overly dramatic fashion. 

“Quite the opposite; we must be memorable, so it’s more troublesome to make us disappear.” Chase grabs Jack’s tight and brings his leg down. He stands up, bringing Jack back to a standing position with him. The song has ended.

Jack’s face is blush, and his breathing is a bit shallow. Chase lowers and plants a single kiss in the space between Jack’s ear and neck. The elf giggles surprised by the advantages, but they were still playing a role. And Jack should be safer if he has a strong association with Chase. 

“You don’t look worried.” People around them applaud, and some brave souls attempt to steal a dance, but the pair ignores them. 

“I’m not worried about her,” Chase looks at Jack, “I’m more worried about Baron Lecrox,” and Perlen.

“He could be useful to piece what happened.” Jack knows that Chase is missing memories; it could be for trauma or because of magic. “The knife you had when I found you seem to be a dead end.” 

“I don’t trust him,” Another song starts, and the pair dances again. 

“You don’t trust anyone.” This time Jack is less nervous and moves outside Chase’s guidance.

“With good reason,” The next song was slower, and Chase wasn’t sure why Jack was moving so energetically. He chuckles, puts his hands around Jack’s waist, and lifts him. “Everyone has a knife; they will sink on you whenever the opportunity arises.” 

“Are you calling me a bad dancer?” Jack puts his hands on Chase’s shoulders and lets the naga slowly swing them in the air.

“I’m calling you untrustworthy,” Chase looks over the duchess, she has not taken her eyes off them.

“That’s not new!” Jack laughs and rests his head on Chase’s shoulder. It had been a night. But right now, everything feels right.

Then he sees Perlen pushing his way through the dance floor. “Shit! I was counting on him staying there all night.” 

“All night?” Chase puts him down and looks at Jack, he forgot about the other elf. Or maybe he was ignoring him, “Is that something he has done for you?”

“When we were kids, yes. He is going to be all preachy!” 

“Shall we go?”

“No, I should talk to him.”

Just in time, the fox has found the pair and makes a noise to indicate their position. Perlen carefully manages his way to them and steps back when accidentally taps Chase’s tail with a cane. 

“Perlen, you should be careful about entering crows.” 

“I thought you might come to the party, but I hope you have kept good to your word and come back with me.” 

“Why? It was clear when I ran away never to come back that I wanted to run away never to come back. Was I not clear? I thought I was clear.” Jack turns to Chase, who smirks but decides not to interfere in their conversation. 

Jack won’t go with Perlen.

“No,” Perlen shakes his head, “you took the dagger, you were hoping to come back someday; return it.”

“I really wasn’t,” Jack shrugs, feeling bad for his old friend. “I wanted to sell it on the black market, but only moon elves can wield it! Now it is a kitchen knife.” Perlen looks unhappy with the answer, but he passes over his sorrows. He moves to more urgent matters. 

“The next blue moon might kill you, Sylarus. The moon has guided us back together because I must take you back. At least for the next full moon.”

“Perlen, I would prefer to die than to go back.”

“It’s different now, listen to me,” He extends his hand, and Jack stares at it, “please.”

Jack turns to Chase and gives him a weak smile.

“I’ll be right back,” he steps away from the protection of the naga and takes Perlen’s hand, “you have my attention. I’ll listen to you, but if you can’t convince me then, you must respect my decision and keep my presence here a secret from the other.”

“Let’s regroup in this room in an hour.” Chase didn’t wait for an answer, he left. 

He looks for the duchess and sets course to meet her.

Being in the beautiful mansion, surrounded by high-class nobility, and wearing lavish clothes, remind him of his old life. It has passed a long time, but to Chase, who slept through must of it, it has been just months. Everything still felt like some sort of dystopian dream, like he could wake up any second and be back at his palace. But he knew better than to allow such thoughts, that life was buried, and he must carry on instead of looking back. 

Chase tries to take credit for his actions. He left the desert, regain his magic, and found a suitable shelter. A ‘Home’ as Jack calls it. And, of course, he has gained Jack’s trust, somehow. An unlikely alliance they had formed that feels comfortable like a friendship. 

Their relationship would be much different back in Chase’s kingdom. He could provide Jack with anything the elf desires for his pretty company. The naga visions his room, the tile floors, ample bed and silk sheets, and Jack casually reading a book naked. He would, of course, be marked by Chase. The delicate skin covered in bites and bruises, and his loving consort free to do as he pleases calls for his company. 

Then again, things were not like that. Chase’s life has taken multiple turns that has left him in a much than ideal position to provide for anyone, barely himself. There are many things that he must attend to before he can even indulge in such fantasy.

And Jack has Perlen. Whatever it was or meant, it was intense and intimate. It was a private matter, and Chase as a friend should only offer Jack support in the best matter he can; by giving him space. 

Jack, when ready, will return to him.

Or perhaps he won’t. 

Again he felt like he was bleeding out and his chest physically hurt. 

Not now.

Chase looks for the duchess to find her gone.

Angrily to his on distracting thoughts, he moves up to her servants, eyeing them. They walk away after a quick bow.  He looks at the closest exit she could take and goes in that direction. 

No one stops Chase; all the servants he encounters bow to him and continues their previews chores. It was a long hall, all windows, doors, and people disappeared. Chase has gone so deep he starts wondering how big the mansion is. The halls on this side of the estate were more extravagant. The black tile was piped with gold, the wallpaper was a fabric with fantastical embroidery designs, and the flower arrangements were a flower Chase has never seen before. The prominent portraits made the vast hall feel narrow and claustrophobic. All the paintings were of old magical creatures, dragons and elemental spirits, and were held up by wooden frames that look like tree branches. He didn’t pay much attention to the paintings. Otherwise, Chase would have recognized a familiar face. He stares at the woman facing the wall at the end of the hall. 

Chase found her at the end of the hall, standing in front of an open door in the dark. 

“Duchess,” Chase stops and calls for her, “I would like to congratulate you on your party and your beautiful estate.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She has an accent different than any Chase has heard around.

“It is,” Chase says from a safe distance.

“Come closer,” She beckons.

“I could not, I would not want to offend an unmarried maiden.” 

“Pff,” the duchess lets a little laugh and turned to face the naga. She moves closer, and Chase keeps a calm face. The duchess moved into the candlelight; her face was young and old all at once. Her face has tiny wrinkles under the caked makeup, but her skin was mostly smooth like someone has pulled all the extra skin you accumulate with time into a tight knot. The smile was too big, her eyes reacted slow and out-of-time, and she smells like perfume, grass, and pissed. She was scared. “I’ve been married enough times to be offended by people treating me like a defenseless maiden.” 

“I would never call you defenseless,” Chase looks down at the flower crown she wore. It has the same flowers from earlier, but what confused Chase was their natural and fresh state. They were real, an odd contrast with the impossibly tight and overly designed dress. 

Chase widens his stand using his tail to block the hall. The duchess noticed but didn’t bother to mention it.

They can feel each other’s magic. Chase knows that he has less magic than the duchess, but her body looks frail. So, this will not take long. It just takes a well-planned shot. The question is, who will attack first.

“You are beautiful.” She says, but Chase doesn’t react. “I was told about your scales. Your scales shine like jewels. They look like morning dew in a new leaf. But, your face! You are gorgeous. No one told me you were going to be this pretty.” She rants almost to herself.

“You like pretty things,” he says instead of his real question, _told by who?_

“Oh, I love them. I like to collect them here, in my little home.”

“Mm, I can relate to that.” Chase was taken back to his old life. The presence of all the richness he also wishes to acquire has reminded him of the life he chose to live and the one he lives now. “I collect pretty-” The naga looks at the pretty golden embroidery in the cuff of the jacket, it made him so happy, but it wasn’t his. Nothing is his anymore, “I collected pretty things myself, once upon a time. Art, jewelry, weapons, and magical artifacts.” 

“Then, you understand!” The wooden frames from the halls grow little vines that bind Chase. “That makes me feel so much better about this.” She smiles and looks unbothered by how easily her vines snap. Chase soon noticed that the more vines he breaks, the more appear, the new ones seem more durable too. So he stops resisting.

“Make what better?” He asks when he already knows the answer.

“I’m gonna use your body,” she leans over and places her gloved hand over Chase’s chest and slowly draws circles, “and what a beautiful body you have. I am going to use it to feed my garden.” 

“...fertilizer?” Chase tilts his head confused, surely he misunderstood, but the energetic nod from the duchess confirms his guess. “You want me as fertilizer?! ME!!” Chase was angry, and he trashes back and forth, shaking the woman off to the floor. He was a king, a warrior, a warlord, and a powerful sorcerer! He might have fallen, lost his title, power, and everything else, but he would never allow himself to be taken for less by others. “I am NOT yours to be taken!” 

“Among other things!” She laughs it off. “I plan to use every part of you. I am going to eat your heart-”

“A ritual to gain power, that’s what a naga sacrifice should be used for.” Chase felt utterly offended. “Fertilizer.” Chase was disgusted. 

The duchess looks at him from the floor and bursts into laughter, she laughs and hits the floor until she is wheezing. She stands up and fixes her dress. 

“Chase Young, I can see why he chose you.” She looks into the golden eyes. Chase looks back to see no one is there anymore. That’s not a shapeshifter. 

“Who are you?” 

“Sh-” She moves closer again, pressing her body against Chase’s, “now where was I? Oh, yes. I’m going to eat your heart,” she uses the frames behind Chase to climb and face him, “I’m gonna pluck those pretty eyes,” Chase looks at her as she leans in for a kiss.

Chase moves forward, unhides his jaw, and bites down in the duchess’s face. She tries to scream in pain, but Chase has her jaw shut between his own. Chase takes this opportunity to free his tail from the vines and wraps it around the duchess’s legs. He holds her shoulders in place, pulls her legs down with enough force to rip them from her midsection, and yanks her head off her neck, resulting in a little fountain of blood. Chase spits the blood out, it tastes wrong. Once the blood stops pouring, he tosses the chest next to her other remains. 

He might have overdone it, but the thing insulted him gravely. 

Chase looked at the mutilated corpse and noticed that vines were coming from inside the body. Chase kneels down, appreciating his quick work. 

“Are you still alive?” Chase picks the head, the eyes were still twitching, but they came to a forever stop. 

“Yes, very.” The voice was deeper than the duchess, but it was her. Or what was using her body.

“Duchess, I was looking forward to meeting you.” Chase looks around, unable to find the presence.

“Here.” 

Chase didn’t see anyone, but it was clear that the voice was coming from the flower arrangement. 

“I am shy,” Chase says, staring at the plant.

The voice laughs maliciously, and the flowers grow in size. The roots break the base and travel down the floor seeking the still-warm body. More roots grow in the remains, and new plants sprout. They tangle with each other, forming the shape of a man. 

“I saw it otherwise.” The features of her face become more defined.

Chase could feel it, the raw power emanating from the plant. 

“I felt cornered,” Chase says, considering what his options are. The only exit was a straight line, and he knows the other will interject him. Ripping any limb would not work since it looks like the creature can just regenerate its entire body. He has to use magic. 

“I admit I can get handy when I see pretty men. I can’t control myself.”

“Pretty, have I been demoted from gorgeous?” Chase tries to buy time until he can think of something better. He doesn’t have enough magical power to win the fight.

“Oh, oh, you are a tease, aren’t you?” The man steps off the corpse, his dark green hair with ridiculous lush sideburns and trim mustache makes Chase decide not to die on his hands. For all he has survived and suffered, he will not meet his end in a tiny hall by a flower. 

“I have been called worst, and you, what should I call you?”

“Many things, many names throughout time. It is hard to pick; you can call me Gigi. But sadly, our meeting will be brief.” Gigi walks to the end of the hall to the open door where the duchess was first standing. Chase stares at the invitation and considers his options. 

“Thank you,” he says as he goes into the room. The room, unlike every other inch in the mansion, was bare. It was a rock floor paired with rock walls and tiny cell windows near the ceiling. And a drain on the center of the room. “A bit underwhelming.” The smaller the place, their harder it’s for Chase to move. He would like to think that Gigi was avoiding giving him any advantages, but it was just an unfortunate coincidence. Gigi cared not for Chase’s potential as a threat.

“It’s not my style. But I can only allow so many rooms to be ruined before opting for practicality!” 

Chase looks up to the windows, they were too small to escape through, and the walls look thick. Vines climb from every little opening and will soon cover the room. He shouldn’t have allowed himself to be taken to the room, but then again, what were his options?

“I feel like I’m at a disadvantage,” Chase says, eyeing the door, the only entrance, and exit, being entirely blocked by plants.

“You can say that again!” Gigi laughs and claps his hands. Yellow orbs of light appear in each corner of the room.

“You seem to know who I am, but I don’t know you.” Chase hopes he can get the plant talking because convincing him not to kill him might be his best bet.

“Chase Young, naga king, warlord, sorcerer and the long-missing apprentice of the Heylin. The Heylin prince.” The plant steps in front of Chase, “I’m something much older. I was born when most were still dirt. I thrived in that old world when magic had not yet an element. But time changes, and I,” he takes a moment, “I have been left to grow in a world full of weeds!” He fixes his hair that has not moved out of place. “I now know that you too have been trying to collect magic; I can feel the warmth of the sun irradiating from you. And that old naga magic. I can use your magic to take over the hills.”

“The hills?” Chase masks his surprise about his magic, if Gigi says he has powerful magic deep within, then he must access it now. Maybe he can use a spell to escape, but then what would happen to Jack. He knows people saw Chase and Jack together, and leaving behind is leaving to die, but going back could put both of them in danger and waste any slight opportunity to survive this. 

“Yes, the land there is buzzing with magic.”

“Its sacred land, blessed generation past generation by my clan.” Chase acknowledges few things as sacred, but the land was. “The land there is alive.” 

“Yes, it has been a nursery for nagas for a long time. And their magic has been soak in the land, creating a protective barrier keeping nefarious creatures out for like millennia. I want it.” Chase was about to explain to Gigi that he couldn’t access it, it requires a spell that only nagas know. The plant smiles and moves to touch Chase, “now,” vines wrap around the naga pinning him against the wall, “where was I?” the hands become sharp and rip Chase’s jacket, “I’m going to eat your heart,” Chase trashes against the hold, “Ha! You are alive one.” 

The naga breaks the vines but more come, and he doesn’t stop until the vines grow painful tiny thorns. Chase screams in pain, and Gigi observes with disinterest.

“I’m going to pluck those pretty eyes,” he makes a tsk noise when Chase tries to free himself again, “I’m going to take your magic,” he continues but takes a step back as the movements of the naga become wilder and wilder, “I’m going to break the barrier in your hill, find the heart,” Chase is able to free himself entirely and launches to Gigi. Still, vines from the windows capture him mid-air. He has pinned again on a different wall. He returns to trashing. Gigi observes him disapprovingly. “This was impressive at the beginning,” Gigi sees the rock wall tremble and calls for more plants to hold the naga. The tiny thorns have scratched Chase’s skin raw in certain areas, but it didn’t slow down his efforts. “Now it is just sad. People had expectations for you, Chase. You were so ambitious and not a coward! That’s a rare quality in prodigies. When I heard that you fought in the front lines of that baby war against that other guy. I was, we all were, hopeful. People thought you would become one of the big bad masters of the Heylin faction. But this display,” Gigi makes a little ‘tsk’ sound, “is rather pathetic.” 

A vine around his throat chokes Chase’s scream. And he sees a small rock falls. 

“Then what?” He asks with barely enough air to breathe, and Gigi blinks surprised.

“You, sir, are something. I’ll give you that, I mean, you are not going to live to everyone’s expectations, or live, you are something,” Gigi loosens the vine around Chase’s neck and continues, “I’ll find the heart of the hills and suck them dried. Let your little home die. And I! I will grow stronger, one step away from leaving this dirty little town and back to the world; where I belong.” 

Chase continues his desperate trashing, but this time directed to the wall. Gigi comes closer, calling even more vines to hold Chase. Then the combined weight of the vines and the damage Chase caused made the wall collapse. Large rocks fall down, and a dust cloud covers the room. Chase jumps down, caring not for the distance. He doesn’t look back; he escapes. Gigi follows close behind, but somehow Chase outran him. 

In the dead of night without a soul to witness, Chase flees for his life like an ordinary snake. 

The next thing Chase knew is that he was hugging a tree to hold himself up. He turns back, feeling nauseous and weak and sees that the vines can’t pass a point in the estate. Gigi is confined to space in his land. 

Chase breaths deep and screams in pain out and frustration, his skin was covered in cuts and bruises, and even his tail was heavily bleeding. Gigi’s words echo in his mind. He has genuinely fallen from what he was. The jacket he wore was ripped and soaked in blood, how easy it is to ruin someone's hard work.

The moon was almost full and the night cold as winter, regardless of the green plants surrounding him. 

What was left? 

“Chase?” Just then, Chase noticed that he had run to the carriage from the group. And the only one on sight was Pato.

“Pato!” Chase harbored breathing made him dizzy. “Go into the party and find Jack, get him out of there,” he was truly pathetic, “please save him.”

He knows Gigi saw him dancing with Jack. He tries to explain, but he can’t keep his eyes open. 

Even if he doesn't trust Pato, getting Jack away from the mansion is a priority. 

A hand pulls his hair, forcing him up, Chase thought of Jack playing with his hair at night. He almost called him when he felt a new pain in his neck.

“Fuck!” Chase opens his eyes to find Pato stabbing him. 

It was then, as Pato pulls the knife out and prepares to kill Chase, that Chase saw the depths of his despair. He captures the hand as it comes down and crushes it. 

“I lost my land,” Chase laughs, “after centuries of dedicating my life to it, I lost it in a night,” he pulls Pato down to the floor with him, “I lost my fucking power, and I have to depend in a still-healing body,” Chase puts his hand over Pato’s chest. He could feel the magic flowing through his blood, his reason to think he might have a chance against Chase, “I lost all my riches, and I am now but a common beggar.” Chase looks into the human’s blue eyes. “I sold my soul for nothing,” it was the first time Chase admitted. “I won’t lose my life to the likes of you.” Chase sinks his teeth into the flesh and proceeds to eat as Pato frantically begs for his life. Soon the begging stops and Chase uses the new energy after his meal to heal himself; it is far from a functional stand but is better than bleeding out in the dirt. Chase rips the flesh and crunches the bones, tears the body until he has consumed all he can. And, he licks his lips, remembering the taste of his own blood. 

Chase takes the kitchen knife Pato used against him and looks at the crescent moon in the sky. It will be full in a couple of days. He isn’t a king anymore, and he has lost everything he cared for and worked for, but he is still the same man who obtained them in the first place. It wasn’t just magic and power; it was his determination and intelligence. It's has been an impossibility demanding test to admit to himself the weight of his failures and the pitiful of his state. He feels like he has lost a battle, but he is still alive. 

The old world law dictates that he might fight again. 

And this isn’t the first losing battle he takes on.

Chase reenters his opponent's territory. 

Plants grow around him, forcing him to go in a single path. Gigi waits on the other end clapping for him, looking amused by the new blood Chase sports.

“You keep me guessing!” Gigi smiles, “but please, stop making this so difficult. I think we both know how-” Chase uses the knife to slash Gigi’s face. “This! This is what I’m talking about.” He holds the halves together, and Chase attacks again. “Not the face!” 

Chase digs the knife into Gigi’s shoulder, takes the other arm, and rips it off. 

“When I tell people how I kill you, I’ll mention how you fought really hard.” Gigi steps back when another attack is directed to his face. “But I feel no pain when you do that. You are just running my aesthetics.” Gigi wasn't a single individual but a collective of all parts. Each root, vine, and leaf were a part of him, as long as one remains, he can exist. 

Chase drops to the floor, and over the still moving arm, he recipes a spell he practiced in the desert for many years. “ _ Frange terræ. Manducare Omnes partes. Mineralis pone manum Tuam inter myriades annorum. Decies noctibus. A million temporibus. Ut sub sole. Sub luna. Aurum ad vitam _ .” 

Gigi doesn’t stop him, curious since he has never heard the spell before, but when gold and jewels appear, he is shocked. He tries to reform his arm and is about to ask if Chase was trying to bribe his way out of death. But he couldn’t. His arm stayed missing.

Gigi looks down to the area affected by the spell, and all grass has died; all the magic has disappeared. 

Chase laughs at his disbelief; it worked.

“How, how did you do that?” Gigi backs away, worried about the outcome of this fight for the first time.

“I do feel pathetic,” Chase says instead, “I lost so much, and I’m stuck between pretending it doesn’t affect me and mourning everything.”  Chase takes a deep breath and calls for a flame. "It's exhausting." 

**In a fight, all participants risk their lives.**

The naga calls for fire and uses simple travel spells. He smiles as he sees the orange light illuminate a room. Because the party is in the main room, all the other corners of the mansion are unoccupied, meaning no one will notice the fire until it has spread. 

“You fucking bitch!” Gigi uses his control over plants to break the window and tries to smolder the fire, but Chase takes this distraction to attack again. The naga pins Gigi to the ground and recites the spell again. “ _ Frange terræ. Manducare Omnes partes. Mineralis pone manum Tuam inter myriades annorum _ .” Gigi struggles to break free, but Chase finishes the spell draining magic from another patch of land. “ _ Decies noctibus. A million temporibus. Ut sub sole. Sub luna. Aurum ad vitam _ .”

Chase stands up, looking at Gigi expectantly. 

The fire is spreading. 

In horror, the plant watches as his countless riches he has accumulated over the years burn. 

It was a simple dilemma. Gigi could concentrate on the fight and most likely win, but lose his estate. Or attempt to save his mansion and make himself more vulnerable. 

**To choose to fight is to risk your life.**

“Don’t make this too easy.” Chase calls, attacking again with the knife, he was planning to cut Gigi to pieces and drain him of his magic.

“I wouldn’t. Pretty boy,” Gigi barely avoids the knife. And counterattacks with a large root breaking through the ground, pushing Chase out of the way. Chase circles around, cutting himself with the knife to draw a sigil in the ground. His opponent was too busy trying to put off the growing fire. Dispersing his vines and opening up to more attacks. 

Chase casts the spell again, even as Gigi throws sharp leaves at him. The great root shivers and dies in seconds.

“Promise?” Chase was still bleeding and tired, but now he had space to move and a plan to execute. 

Gigi transforms his good arm into a sharp weapon and jumps to attack. Chase set fire to the dead grass they stand on. The plant screams in agony and struggles to flee the fire, while the naga regains strength in the flame.

They hear party-goers running away as the smoke reaches them. Servants and others attempted to put off the flames but were easily overwhelmed by the fire. 

“This has gone long enough!” The ground trembles, and massive roots break the floor. Chase fights them off, but their seemingly infinitum numbers overpower him. Soon his body is press flat against the ground. Chase looks at the nobles, fighters, and servants all running for their lives. Between the masses, he saw Jack being pulled away by Perlen and other moon elves. Chase wondered for a second if this would be their last meeting.

Gigi steps over the naga’s hand, which still holds the knife. Chase refuses to let go, and the other repeatedly steps with increasing force until the knife falls to the floor.

Once Gigi deems Chase completely subdued, he kneels to face him. 

Fight or fleet has always been the core choice of the old world. Old, unforgiving, absolute laws look down on greedy creatures. 

Gigi looks at the naga, he wasn’t scared, and he wasn’t regretful.

“Why didn’t you run?” The plant asks with shallow curiosity. 

“Because I want to prevail.” Chase looks past his opponent at the mansion.

Gigi turns to see his home go up in flames. The fire burns high, and smoke blackens the sunrise. The trees, gardens, and land were burning all around them. 

Gigi couldn’t breathe and turned to see flames devour the roots that hold Chase. The plant sends all roots and vines to search for a place that is not burning, a place where he can breathe. 

The naga rises from the ashes that were once roots and loom over Gigi. Chase puts his hand over the heart of the plant and recites his spell. Gigi’s body crumbles, becoming more kindling for the fire.

Chase stays in the fire, hearing the crackling of the flames hungrily eating everything around him. The fire takes all possessions alike from objects to dirt, and from dirt to air. Chase stood in the middle of the inferno above his fallen enemy, a creature who has lost it all in a night, not much different from him. Chase expected to feel something to learn a hidden truth about himself, but the more he thinks, the more comfortable he feels in the fire. He stays on the fire until it has washed it all and left the land barren. 

Chase leaves when he hears people.

The naga moves back, soon all wounds covered, initially forgotten in favor of adrenaline, ache with a grievance, and exhaustion weighs him down. Chase is forced to stop and look at the red that covers his skin and scales. He has been bleeding for a while. A few people attempt to help him, villagers, in their way to help control the fire at the duchess’s estate, but he refuses them. Chase is supposed to keep moving.

The town is nearly deserted, all able people had left to help control the fire, and Chase wanders through the houses, leaving a bloody trail behind. He was lucky that Mada, of all people, stayed behind, and guided him to her office.

Chase explains to Mada the old laws of the world.

When magic didn’t have an element and all that existed relied on power.

The strong conquered territory and formed factions, these will become the elements that all magical creatures depend on. And the weak followed.

But the weak could challenge the reign with a fight to the death. However, how is that fair? The strong will win, and the weak will die. The order will never change. So the old law was born; it says that everyone who chooses to fight must risk their life. 

Strong against weak will come with a chance; both had a probability to win and live or to lose and die. 

It was fair if you are willing to bet your life.

Mada tries to give Chase a sedative, but the man refuses, and she is forced to treat him while dodging the tail’s unconscious reactions.

She said things that Chase can’t retain. He looks at the small window in the tiny and closes his eyes. 

When Chase opens his eyes again, he is alone, and the sun is still out. 

The naga forces himself up and whines at his multiple injuries. Somehow, he feels much worse than he did after the fight. He drinks and eats the food left for him but ignores the letters, too dizzy to read. Chase leaves the house and finds the town once again vacant. The morning sky has been darkened by the smoke clouds from the still-burning fire.

Chase goes over the familiar way uphill. 

Memories he has chosen to not revisit forced themselves to be heard. 

A lifetime ago, the desert was infamous for different reasons than today, an unforgiving climate and deadly monsters that prey on all. But the land was rich and vast, making it desirable to many. He knew it would be a difficult task, but he decided to take over the Calido Divitiae desert. The young naga left the prairie to explore the land alone. 

Now he travels back to the place he left, injured, beaten, and feeling utterly defeated.

The emotional weight and injuries made the way uphill trip feel longer than ever. 

Chase left the safety for the prairie for the promise of the desert. He traveled the scorching sands and learned to survive in small prey. Chase lived in total isolation except for his siblings, who, one by one, came to challenge him for the piece of land he could barely call his own. He spent decades training in the ways of magic; he learned from the sun, the fire, the wind, and the earth. Chase raised a palace out of the sand and a fortune out of the dirt. He made do with his weak alliances, he fought for trading routes to grow his sphere of influence, he formed an army, fought and won the Valley war. 

The naga stands in front of the rock wall.

It was not enough. 

It’s clear now that it would never be enough. 

So, in the eve of Chase’s adulthood rite, after killing the last of his siblings, he sold his soul for power.

Chase reaches the top of the rock wall, the prairie looks much different than it did in his youth, and carefully descends down. The strain on his body causes him to slip, and Chase uses his claws to regain his grip, barely avoiding falling straight down. A large cut in his stomach splits open and stains the rock path underneath. The naga takes a few breaths to stabilize himself and continues to climb down. The rock path was warm, and the air clean. 

Chase rubs sweat out of his face and combs his hair back with his hands. He sold his soul for the power to achieve all his goals, and he has nothing to show for it. 

“Chase!” Jack runs to Chase, screaming at the top of his lungs. His clothes ripped and muddy, and his face a mess.

“Jack?” Chase turns to catch the elf jumping and ends up with his back flat against the wall. “Jack!” He hugs Jack tightly and lowers his head to meet Jack’s. 

“I saw the fire! I thought of going back-” Jack closes his eyes and feels the weight of Chase’s forehead against his. It has only been two days, but he feared he might not see the naga again.

“No, no. You did right by coming here.” Chase assures Jack, feeling an odd sense of relief from their reunion but still feeling haunted by his past and decisions. “The duchess wasn’t a shapeshifter. She wasn’t much at all, an old Heylin creature, named Gigi of all names, controlled her.” Chase continues hugging Jack, enjoying a commodity he has already grown used to. “He could control all flora in the duchess’ estate. Gigi, he was trapped there.” The last words of his opponent ring in his head.

“I saw part of the fight,” Jack admits trying to hide his shame. He knew Chase was confronting a much more powerful enemy than expected, but Jack still ran on his own. “Why didn’t you run?” Chase tenses at the question. “I mean, if he was trapped, then why didn’t you just run?” 

“Why?” Chase chuckles, feeling his head tilt dangerously low. The naga swings forward, almost collapsing on the grass. He regains his posture just in time to let Jack on the floor. 

“Ek! Chase-” Jack squeals, but he stays under Chase, trying to offer him support. Chase laughs at that.

“If I were to collapse now, you believe you could keep me up?” Chase closes his eyes, feeling the world spiral around him. His whole world has been spiraling for years.

“Then don’t collapse here, jerk!” Jack pulls the naga, but he doesn’t move until he wants to. "Your highness?" Jack calls by his old nickname.

Chase lets himself be guided to the cave, which he calls now home. It was a bizarre situation, and hilarious, too, if it wasn’t happening to him.

Thankfully Jack had the foresight to prepare the bedding, a meal, and boil water ready to prepare tea. 

“Thank you,” Chase gets as comfortable as he could in the blankets-sew-into-a-mattress, and watches Jack fumble with his injuries for a minute before shooting the hands away. 

“Okay!” Jack made a terrible healer. He stares pitifully as Chase cleans the bloodstains and treats reopened wounds. Chase easily bandages his body, and picks medicine jars and applies them correctly. “You are really good at this.” 

It made Chase slow down in his work, and Jack could tell it was a sour topic. 

But at the moment, Chase couldn’t think of something that wasn’t a sour topic.

Jack moves to bring Chase his meal, and the naga has just in time finished his work.

“I have plenty of practice.” That’s all Chase was planning to say. And he sees Jack on his knees next to him, holding a pot filled to the rim with rabbit stew. “Before I was a king, I was a common fighter.” 

“I figured that out.” Jack smiles and offers the pot to Chase. He takes it and begins eating, slowly and calmly, the meal warms his chest and settles heavily in his stomach. Chase has eaten recently, but it has been an extremely taxing night. 

“After a fighter, I was a merchandiser and cartographer,” Chase adds with a little hump, and Jack turns curious from the medicine cabinet.

“A fellow cartographer?” Jack looks through their tea and chooses an arnica flower loose-leaf; it was a present for Mada. He shows the tea to Chase, who nods in agreement. “Why didn’t you say something before?”

“I wanted to see if you were competent first?” Chase takes a few spoonfuls before continuing, “And I mapped the land, not the skies,” Chase finds his spoon scraping the bottom of the pot depressingly fast, “I was trying to find the best route to cross the desert.” 

“Did you?” Jack drops the leaves on the boiling water.

“I did.” Chase licks the spoon on last time before mentally declaring his meal done. 

Jack stares in the naga in utterly surprised.

“You did? What-” That was an accomplishment like no other, but Chase treats like a worthless fact.

“A long time ago, Jack,” Chase interrupts, feeling again like he was a pitiful thing, but he knew better, “the land changed. The path I paved is gone.” 

And that’s all.

“Sucks.” Jack clears his throat, unsure of how to give comfort to someone in Chace's situation. Or if he wants comfort at all. 

“It really does,” Chase sits up and looks at his humble little home, then at Jack. The elf carefully serving the tea made Chase smile. “Everything I always wanted,” riches, land, and power, “everything I work for,” for hundreds of years, “is gone,” because of greed and alliances that lead to the usurp. “But do you want to know the worst thing about it?”

Jack walks closer and hands Chase the teacup. He takes the cup and enjoys the heat.

“What?” The whole scenery, a simple home with a pretty companion, it was nice. It has its charm, and Chase would not deny so. But.

“It wasn’t enough.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“My goals haven’t changed Jack,” Chase lets out a little laugh, directed to himself, “the more I medicate about it, the more decisive I become; I want to be king.” 

Chase felt embarrassed in his last declaration. 

He wasn’t much at the moment to aim for such a great title. He already attempted to fulfill his goal and ended up taking shelter in the same caved he hatched.

If anything, his past experiences should teach him to steer away from his previews goals and path. 

“King?” Jack tries the word in his lips. The word suddenly felt too big. 

“King,” Chase drinks his tea, and both share a charged silence. 

“How?”

“I don’t know,” Chase shakes his head at his own stubbornness, “different than last time. Of course, I still have a long list of things to get accomplished before but,” Chase takes another sip. “Jack, don’t tell this to anyone.”

“Yeah, you can trust me,” Jack looks down, not really sure what Chase even meant, “or not.” He smiles at that like a joke, “your highness.”

“I am going to crush you,” Chase blushes and doesn’t move to follow in his threats. 

“How?” Jack moves closer, “you are a mess!” Jack tries not to think too seriously at all of Chase’s injuries. 

“And you? Please take a moment to change clothes.” Chase retaliates, and the elf looks at the state of his clothes and moves to change.

They continued to talk while Jack changed.

Chase explains that he was trying to find a fast travel route to the Echodour Kingdom, a small insignificant kingdom that Chase bullied into an alliance. 

Jack told him that he barely escaped from the moon elves' search party. But he didn’t want to talk about that. Jack wanted to know more about Chase’s still mysterious past.

And Chase, who has reconciled with his objectives, doesn’t mind sharing details with Jack. 

Jack laid next to Chase, in fresh clothes and washed hair, he closes his eyes but continues to talk. 

They lay away from each other. Chase multiple injuries required space. But too used to their physical contact, both search for the other's familiar warmth. So when Chase outstretches his arm and offers to hold hands, Jack pokes fun at him for being a cuddle-snake, but he takes his hand. 

They talk until the sun goes down, and Chase closes his eyes lull at the sound of Jack’s neverending commentary.

When Chase opened his eyes again, his side was cold, and Jack was gone. 

“Jack?” Chase calls, but he can tell Jack isn’t there.

Standing up was a laborious motion, and so was moving out of the cave. Chase’s stomach dropped when he saw Jack’s clothes at the entrance of the cave. 

He moved to pick the items; they were long cold. The night was cold, colder than it has been many nights before, while plants didn’t feel fall or winter in the hills. The temperature can go way past freezing. Chase's warm breath made little vapor clouds, and moonlight covers the prairie like a curtain of light.

Chase looks up to see a cloud drifting exposing the full blue moon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I hope you guys like it. I'm not used to action so this was a bit harder to write, let me know how did it turn out!  
> Also, this one is smaller than usual and more Chase centric. Next one would be more like Jack's point of view :D


	8. Moon Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more from Jack's point of view and it goes from the duchess' tournament until facing the blue moon. Also, a bit more for Jack's backstory and Jack has to do some soul seeking but the results are still pending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out more sentimental than I wanted to but I still like it.

Chapter 8

**Moon Drunk**

Muffled laughter and smiles partially hidden behind fans and gloved hands encourage Jack to deliver the punchline. He takes a deliberate long pause, making eye contact with his audience, and leaning forward in a bold move. 

The attention and tension; the stage is where Jack thrives.

Jack whispers the ending of the story, like a secret shared between the performer and his public, and he enjoys their expressions of awe. 

The full moon that comes will judge Jack. He will stand on her light and dance for her, and she will decide if Jack was worth the time he lived. The concept of his whole existence being tested by an all-knowing goddess was hard to grasp, more so now. 

But that would be a problem to face in a few days, today he is a performer, a professional storyteller.

People applaud, and Jack takes his bow. 

Jack could almost look at the moon from this corner of the room, he saw her light creep through the window, and he longed for her. The young elf hopes that somehow she can bring peace to the turmoil his mind has become in the last month. 

Leaving the desert was a shock, but not nearly as much as noticing that many of the skills he perfected during his time there could not be translated here. Not all of his skills were useless. Though he could put his stage persona and theater expertise to good use.    
“Sylarus,” Perlen, someone he hasn’t seen in a lifetime, walks in as everyone leaves. Many thoughts crossed Jack’s mind; shock, confusion, shame, embarrassment, and panic. 

Perlen, Jack’s childhood friend, is the one person Jack missed when he left, and the last Jack wants it to see.

“Who?” Jack tries to hide his voice.

Panic, all Jack could think is that his one problem was Perlen, because if Perlen is here, then the clan is near. 

“Sylarus, I hear you before I know it is you! Please don’t play with me,” Perlen moves closer to Jack. Jack tries throwing a coin in a different direction. “Are you trying to deceive me?!”

“No, I just,” Jack looks at Chase and then back at Perlen. He doesn’t want to deal with this. Jack considers running, Perlen is blind, but he will find Jack if he wants to. The elf looks at the other suspiciously, how did Perlen find him in the first place? “What are you doing here, Perlen?”

“I’m traveling as a passing rite, in three more moon cycles I’ll be an adult, and I need to know the world outside the clan for that.”

Of course, all elves travel for a year as part of a maturation process, before returning to the clan and to perform the twelve moon dance rite. But the elders ruled long ago that Perlen, or Jack, were fit to travel alone.

“Are you traveling alone?” Jack looks at the fox and kneels to pet the animal. “Besides Sparkle, of course.” 

“Yes, but the clan is not far from here-”

“The Clan is Here!” Jack knew this, but he still acts surprised. He was trying to let Chase know his stand with the clan. “Do they know that I’m here?” Jack was also reminding Perlen that Jack left by choice.

“No, I found you by accident, but Sylarus, you need to come back home.”

That name again, Jack looks towards Chase, but the man's expression is unreadable.

“Good! Don’t tell anyone. I don’t want anyone to know I’m here.” Jack was clear.

“Sylarus, your parents have cried for you, they think you are dead!”

“I Don’t Care!” That invoked a deep rage Jack forgot he had. Something he buried long ago so he could sleep at night. 

“You. You don’t mean that” Perlen tries, but Jack doesn’t answer. He won’t take it back, “you are mad, but you don’t mean that.” Perlen searches for his friend, but he moves from his touch. They used to be best friends. “Sylarus, I have missed you so much!” Jack takes his hand.

“I miss you too,” Jack feels all his previews emotions morph into sadness, a deep everlasting sadness. “I only miss you,” Jack hugs Perlen tightly, accepting a piece of his home back, but just for a moment.

“Sylarus, the next moon is a blue moon.” Jack opens his eyes, startled, and looks for Chase.

The moon has many faces, each represents a different aspect of her being, all are real, and all have the potential to be deadly, the blue moon more than any. The blue moon is cleansing, allows a time of change through blood, an opportunity to be reborn, but without the strength, many find themselves overcome by her. 

“I didn’t know that.” Jack’s mouth was dried. Why would such an unforgiving moon come to judge him, a weak and cowardly elf? “I have felt her calling louder, but I didn’t think.”

An ordinary moon, any shape or size could overwhelm Jack enough to cause him physical pain, so why would he have to face a blue moon? 

“You need to come home-” Perlen begins to explain but Jack already knows what he is going to say word by word, he heard enough. 

“No-” Jack pushes Perlen away.

“Sylarus, the blue moon is unforgiving and more powerful than most. She will kill you.” Jack resists his touch. He turns to Chase, who inches closer but does not intervene. “The clan can protect you.”

“Like they always did?” Jack remembers being told that he will slow down his group, he should be behind in a safe place and allow the strong to accomplish their task. Jack was forced to participate in hunts and magic school only to be told it was expected for him to fail, and not to fear for he will be kept safe. Jack was a fragile doll put away for his own good until he met Perlen. Both children were put together so they might keep each other company, and the teacher had only to worry about one safe location instead of two. But Jack could see, and Perlen could run, escape every opportunity and explore on their own until eventually, they had to go back.

“Yes, like they always did.” Perlen was that child anymore.

“I don’t want to die.” Jack understands that safety is fundamentally good, but knowing that living is required to stretch out past the limits others placed on you. 

“And I won’t let you die. I love you.” 

It has been a long time, Jack thought.

“I love you too,” Perlen was the last person to say that to him, and now he gets to be the first. “I’ll get my things, wait here.”

Jack gets Chase.

They walked through the halls and gardens.

Chase is exceptionally respectful and asks no questions; Jack wishes the naga asked him questions, but then again, he doesn't know how he would answer. They discussed the problem at hand.

There was a group just miles from the party. Jack has to assume he has been seen and will attempt to capture him. They will try to save Jack by keeping him away from the blue moon. Chase did ask, why not let it happen?’ Get captured and escape. If Jack can’t escape, Chase proposes to rescue him. After all, the group will not hurt Jack. 

Jack didn’t have a good reason not to take that route, so he gave his reasoning anyways. 

“I think I would prefer to face the full blue moon alone than to accept their help.” 

“Even if it kills you,” Chase asked, and Jack looked him in the eye,

“It won’t kill me,” Jack wipes the mascara lines running down his cheeks. The blue moon might kill him, “but yes.” He looked so determined, and Chase just nodded.

Chase doesn’t suggest it again. Instead, they talk about their growing list of troubles. Chase found an acquaintance of his own, the duchess is a shapeshifter, and Jasmine might know something. All happening at once was like a rush novice novel ending, but Jack was not there.

He was still shocked that he saw Perlen and that his clan was near somehow. He wondered if this is why he keeps thinking of the past. Maybe the moon has guided him back to his clan because he should be with them. Maybe, like Perlen, she believes Jack won’t survive without them. 

Then it was Perlen himself who occupied Jack’s mind. The young elf has barely changed. He was broader and used a different cane, but besides that, Perlen looks just as Jack left him. Jack wonders if he looks the same, too, maybe a bit worse for wear, but still the same from back then. Perhaps he is still the same.

“Jack,” Chase's voice pulls Jack out of his thoughts. He looks up and knows that he has been spacing out for a while. Jack tries to think what were they talking about when Chase continues, “do you want to dance?” 

The question caught Jack by surprise, but it was a pleasant surprise, unlike everything else tonight.

Jack turns to look at the couples' dancings in their fine clothes at the rhythm of the flute. 

“I don’t know how to dance,” The movements of the couples were graceful, long and romantic, “that.”

“Neither do I,” Chase extends his hand in front of Jack, “but it would be a shame not to enjoy the party. Even for a moment.”

Jack stares at the hand, wondering if he should, but before he has made his mind, Jack takes it. 

They go into the dance floor hand to hand. Chase, with his outrageous size, forces the other dances to give them space. Jack awkwardly puts his hand on Chase’s hip, where smooth skin meets scales, over the black quilted fabric. A heavy hand delicately rests on Jack’s shoulder, and both adjust to hold the other’s free hand. The position was a bit odd, Jack’s face reaches up to Chase’s chest, right under his shoulders, and Chase is over a foot taller than his dance partner. It was literally a pain in the neck to look up and down, respectively. They blink at each other expectantly and laugh at their own bashfulness. It wasn’t like either of them was shy. Jack knew his reasons to be a bit out of it and wonders Chase.

“I thought you got over your stage fright.” Jack teases, and he must be right since Chase’s eyes widen a bit.

“I have, but I’m waiting for you, Jack.” The elf tilts his head and looks at other couples, the one who holds their partner’s hip leads.

“Oh, I’m leading,” Jack now feels a surge of nerves, and he looks at the footwork of others for reference.

“So left, left, left or right, right, right?” Chase teases with an insufferable smirk, and Jack blushes. He is a terrible dance, it always takes him forever to pick up new moves, and he lacks coordination.

“Easy for you to say, you don’t have feet!” Jack knew he was going to kick Chase, but if Chase kept teasing, he might get kicked on purpose.

“I hope you are not suggesting my beautiful and large tail is less troublesome than feet,” Chase tilts his head to point to his tail. He isn’t even moving when a man trips without backward and falls on the floor, Chase moves the tail out of the way only after the fall. 

“You are a menace,” Jack laughs. Chase did that on purpose. 

“I am your dance partner, and right now, I’m getting bored.” 

Eventually, both men felt comfortable enough to move. 

They stick close to each other. Chase coils his tail loosely around them, forming a fence to separate them from the rest. Jack kicks Chase with almost every step. 

“Sorry!” Jack says after every kick, feeling discouraged by his own thoughts. 

“What for?” Chase asks, obviously aware of why.

“Kicking you.” 

“Please, don’t call them kicks, Jack. I can barely register them.” Chase struggles with his own body to keep the rhythm and stay out of everyone’s way. 

Jack snorts at that, he was about to comment on how sweet Chase was being, but he chose against it. He was having fun. 

Jack was a terrible dancer then, and he is a terrible dancer now, but he is having fun. They become bolder as the music goes on. The familiarity of each other and beautiful appearances get translated into a striking sight. 

People watch, but the pair ignores them. 

Between songs, they started talking again about the problems. They decided that Jasmine could wait, they will ask her more later if they need it. Chase will take care of the duchess, and Jack will care for the moon elf. The Baron will be left for later. 

Perlen comes to them.

Jack has forgotten about him.

“Shall we go?” Chase asks, and Jack comes closer to his dance partner.

“No, I should talk to him.” Seeing Perlen was upsetting, he represents to Jack the life that he left behind. But after dancing, Jack felt better.

“I’ll be right back,” Jack turns to Chase, and Chase responds rather coldly.

“Let’s regroup in this room in an hour.” Chase leaves.

Jack is left alone with Perlen. 

They stand on the dancefloor awkwardly while everyone else moves around them. 

“How have you been?” Perlen asks, and Jack looks at him, taken back by the question.

It was odd that Jack forgot when he first saw Perlen, but they were friends.

“I’m good-” Jack stutters his words, “I’m great, just doing my job as a- a, a professional storyteller.” 

“I heard you,” Perlen adds excitedly, “remember when you got a bad review on the Lady of the lake piece.”

“Mother Ursula called it brutish and overdone,” Jack crosses his arms over his chest. A lost memory of the only principal role he played, “I really wanted to get her back.”

“And you did! You faked a heart during spell casting class!” Perlen almost shouts, remembering the whole scene.

“I did that!” Jack brings his hand to cover his mouth, “My stars, I remember her face scream; ‘Someone called a medic!’ It was hilarious.”

“Amada ran to get help, and she puked halfway there out of fear.”

“Did she?” Jack never knew. “Is that why she was mad at me for the rest of the year?”

“Yeah, and she was mad at you for faking a heart attack!”

“Oh yeah, I was bad,” Jack smiles at his old antics, “a great actor, but I definitely went too far that day. How come she wasn’t mad at you?” Jack remembers.

“Cause I’m adorable.”

“You can’t even see!” Jack pushes his friend, it was such a natural motion. Perlen steps back and bumps into a woman. He apologizes and steps back, he uses his cane to feel around, but another dancer lightly taps it. He frowns. 

“Could we go to a less crowded place?”

“Yes,” Jack takes his hand, and they go near a wall. “How are you?” 

“I’m good too. I have an apprenticeship under Monte to be an architect.”

“An architect? I remembered you specifically bad-mouthing Monte for his design of the light city and the Lili bridge.”

“And I still stand by my words! But that’s why I want to be an architect. I want a city that is more… friendly.”

“You can change the structure, but that won’t change the people.” Jack leans against the wall, “since when did you become such a sappy idealist?”

“Around the time you left.” The mood drops. “You disappeared. No one knew where to or how or why then? But everyone came to the conclusion that you were not going to make it.”

Jack looks down and reflects on his actions. Of all the people from his Clan, Perlen is the one Jack really didn’t want to see because he is the only one Jack owns an apology. But how could he say sorry?

“Perlen, listen-”

“I have to believe you were going to make it,” Perlen interrupts, “and tonight, days from the blue moon, an unforgiving raw force of nature, we cross paths again, Sylarus. I know why left, I just don’t know why you didn’t tell me. Me, your friend.”

“Because you could have stopped me.” Jack knew well when he chose to leave that he couldn’t waste time, or he would change his mind. “And, I have to go.” 

“You could have stayed and go later with me-” 

“But I didn’t!” Jack steps ahead, stomping loudly and visibility, surprising Perlen. “I didn't because I didn’t want to Perlen. And I’m sorry I did that. I’m sorry I just left. It was a shitty thing to do, and I was -I’m a shitty person for doing that. But I need it to leave.”

Perlen didn’t understand.

“But why?” 

Jack didn’t know what else to say.

“There are things we leave behind because we cannot take them with us,” Jack wishes Chase would come back by now. It has been way longer than the hour they agree on, and without a buffer, he is forced to talk about things Jack prefers to forget, “and there are other things we chose to leave behind,” Jack looks at Perlen in the eye and feels tears building as each of his words eat up through his old friend. 

Perlen’s lips tremble, and he covers his face, he knows he gives away his emotions more than anyone, and he is trying to stay on topic. 

“I understand,” Perlen didn’t understand, “but Sylarus, tonight of all nights to meet, the moon is telling you that if you face her alone, you will die; you need an ally to stand by you. Come with me, I’ll hide you until the full moon has passed, then,” Perlen didn’t understand, “I’ll help you escape if you still want to.”

“Do you mean that?” Jack looks at his friend, who offers a single ‘yes.’

“For your safety, Sylarus.” 

Jack reaches for his friend's hand, considering his proposition carefully. If Jack faces the moon alone, he might die. So many, the moon has kindly guided them together again. 

“Could my companion, Chase Young, from the desert, come?” 

“Yes! Of course, after all, he has kept you safe for all this time.” Perlen brings Jack’s hand to his lips and kisses it. “Though he might be harder to hide.”

Jack considers correcting Perlen.

“Yes, I would surely have died out of dehydration without him.” 

“Out of dehydration?” Perlen frowns at the oddly specific dead.

“A human saying, my old friend.” Jack lies with a giggle. 

“Oh!” Perlen was about to ask more when the smell of smoke distracted him, “do you smell that?” He stands up and whistles to his fox. The animal sniffs the air and makes distressing sounds. 

“What?” 

“Fire,” Perlen pulls Jack towards the exit.

“Wait,” Jack resists, but Perlen is stronger, “Chase is still here- somewhere,” Jack looks over the crow. It should be easy to find Chase, he is eight feet tall, but the naga is gone. So is the duchess. “He is with the duchess! Perlen, we have to go find him.”

“Sylarus, he can handle himself,” Perlen pulls Jack into an embrace, tightening his arms over Jack’s and pulling him backward, “you will be more helpful by getting yourself to safety, instead of needing to be rescued!” 

It was a sound argument that Jack was well acquainted with. He has heard so many times that the best he could do to help was to keep himself out of danger, and hearing it one more time the second he saw another moon elf did not suit him. Jack wasn’t Sylarus anymore. 

“Then you run and find a safe place, you useless fucking slug!” 

“Sylarus!” Perlen tightens his grip on Jack.

“Let go of me!” Jack trashes back and forth, but Perlen simply lifts Jack from the floor.

People were now gathering around them, unsure of who to help. Jack was the one being dragged away, but he was terribly rude, which too high society was a crime fitting to be dragged away. 

They made a little scandal that would have overtaken the party if a scream didn’t turn people's heads.

“FIRE!”

The party-goers observe the flames advancing through the halls and from down the stairs.

“Sylarus, we must-” People run over the elves in an attempt to escape the heating room, and Jack uses this opportunity to free himself. “Sylarus!” Perlen falls down on the floor, and someone kicks his cane away. He extends his arms searching for Jack, but soon he retrieves into a small ball to avoid being trample. “Sylarus,” he calls lower as the foxes rush to protect him the best he can.

Jack observes just a few feet away. 

It might be the moon or the fear, but for a moment, Jack and Perlen were children again, living in complete dependency. 

“Perlen, don’t cry.” Jack helps his friend to his feet and fights the crow to exit the building. 

“Thank you.”

The closer to get the doors, the harder it is to move. People push and fight for a spot closer to the door. Jack considers how they are going to get through when Perlen swings his cane away while loudly apologizing and explaining that he is blind. It took quite a few hits, but Perlen was deceivingly strong and pushed through and continued to run with Jack.

Jack turns and sees the gardens wholly consumed by fire, and Chase, pin on the floor by something. The naga was bleeding and barely conscious while another creature, a man, stood over him triumphantly. 

“Chase!” Jack screams and runs towards the fire.

Perlen pulls Jack’s sleeve, it loudly rips, and holds Jack back. 

Jack has never been a fighter. 

Jack was a proud coward, alive by running away from every fight and never taking a stand. But for that moment, Jack forgot what he was and what he was not, he just wanted to reach Chase. 

“Amada! Iliro! Help me!” Perlen could barely keep his grip on Jack, the elf was much stronger than he remembers. Or perhaps, he was just desperate. 

“Chase! Chase!” Jack was crying, and the last time he saw was the odd man kneeling with a knife over Chase. 

Then, by the work of a spell, he fell asleep.

  
  


Jack had a delightful dream.

  
  


He dreams of the moon. Jack dreams of the prairie, it looks much different in his dream, a house large enough to accommodate both, a huge workshop with multiple stations to work in all his inventions, and a humble but respectable pile of gold coins. Jack smiled, approvingly over his treasures. The elf goes to open the door of his home, expecting to feel warm from the fireplace and his enigmatic companion in, but he knew Chase wasn’t there. Chase doesn’t belong there. It was a voice who told him, but Jack can’t locate it. The voice was all around and nowhere at the same time. It was melodic and slow like a lullaby and sharp and high pitch like a scream. Like music that can be danced to but never replicated, Jack could hear it but never describe it. He moves away from the house and notices that everything is dark, but somehow he could see. The sky was barren; the stars and the moon were gone.

Then Jack hears it again, she is asking him to look for her. 

_ Dance with me _

Jack wakes up with a sudden rush. He looks around him, disoriented and scared. He was in the forest, sitting in a small camp, and by the marks and objects around, he knew it was a moon elf’ camp. There was no one around except for Perlen. Jack turns towards him to find out his hands are tied behind his back.

“Perlen?” Jack looks at his tied feet, few moon elves from his clan would give him so much credit. Actually, only one. “You!” 

Perlen at least has the decency of looking down, miserable, and shamed.

“Sylarus, I’m sorry, but you were resisting so much last night and-”

“Is Chase-” Jack interrupts, but he can say it.

“Yes,” Perlen fills in, “the group left to help with the fire efforts, and they are ready to aid him. And. Well, And. Let him know that you are safe.” Perlen clears his throat, “and that you will be kept safe-”

“Shut your lying mouth, you backstabbing bitch!” Jack saw that coming miles away, but he still believed Perlen back at the party.

“Sylarus, betraying, you was never my intention!” Perlen cries, and Jack believes him. “But, last night, after Chase fought against the duchess and won. The others declared him too powerful to simply be allowed into our clan. At least, not until we can investigate him or someone can vouch for him. I hope-”

“Shut up!” Jack chokes in his own tears. “Just shut up.” He feels so utterly weak and frustrated. Chase Young, the only companion who has been loyal to him, was dying last night, and Jack didn’t do anything. He worries for a second what the naga would think of him. Then Jack wonders if it matters. After all Chase, somehow, against all odds, keeps taking on fights that should kill him, but instead, he wins. Chase Young left the desert in a few weeks, while Jack couldn’t do so in decades. Comparing their progress was like comparing the brightness of the sun against the moon. “You lying cunt!” The life Jack left behind found him, and he has to face that he isn’t that much different than when he left. He is still a coward and a weakling to his core.

“Sylarus, I’m sorry, but you have to understand, I’m doing this out of my goodness of-”

“You didn’t lose your cane, did you?” Jack allows himself to cry more but he won’t drown in self-pity. Not at this moment. 

Not now.

Perlen’s silence answers Jack.

There is a more pressing problem, his hands are tied.

“And you didn’t really fall, did you?” 

“I did lose my balance, but I pretend to-” 

“To protect me.” Jack stops him and looks at his friend, he knows Perlen can’t see Jack’s expression. Nonetheless, he can feel it. “I don’t want protection.” Jack spats out leaning forward. “Ahh! Fuck.” Jack ends that sentence with a pitiful whine.

“Sylarus!” Perlen runs next to Jack and feels his friend for injuries.

“You betray me after asking me to trust you.” Jack made sure to sound pain.

“I know.” Perlen felt guilty and a turmoil of emotions into his chest. “And this is not the moment, but then, maybe, we can call it even.”

The silence between them stretches for long, like the years that have passed them by, and minutes held whole nights of their friendship’s damage. 

Jack stares at his friend, feeling overwhelmed and lighter all at once. 

He is surprised when he hears himself giggling and then crying more. Jack wasn’t surprised when a pair of arms hugged him tightly. 

“Yes, okay, you dumb bit- slug. Let’s call it even,” 

“Are you okay?” Perlen breathes out and tries to search for any injury.

“My hands had been asleep for like an hour, could you help me move them?” 

Perlen helps Jack straighten his sitting position, and feels for Jack’s hands. As soon as he touches them, Jack hisses and groans.

“What? Does it hurt?”

“Yeah, but it's nothing bad, it's just really sleepy. You know, bad circulation.” 

“...the ropes could be cutting your circulation.”

“No, no, no,” Jack smirks but makes sure to sound nervous. “I can’t see, Perlen, how does, um, wait. Please Perlen, cut them or just loose them up?”

“Yes!” Perlen stands up, and looks through bags until he finds a knife, he moves and positions the knife. “Wait,” he bites his lower lip, “if I cut you free, you will try to escape.”

“I won’t. I mean I would, but you would stop me. And I can’t outrun a search party.”

“And I can help you escape later,” Perlen cuts the rope, sure that he could take Jack in a fight. And he was right.

“Thank you!” Jack swings his arms and massages his wrists. “I really mean it.”

Before Perlen could say something, Jack swings his fist against Perlen and knocks him out cold. Jack drops the rock he picked, takes the knife from his friend and finishes cutting his binds before hiding Perlen in one of the tents. The nicest thing Jack has done for him in a while. 

Jack was honest. He couldn’t win against Perlen in a fair fight, but most fights in the human realm are not fair. He begins running and makes a point to travel by the main road. Jack knows that the elves will avoid busy roads, and with the fire going, it will take them a while to return to camp.

Perlen will wake up soon enough, and he will track Jack down. But, all trails Jack could leave will be erased by the masses traveling to the duchess’s estate. 

It takes the stamina that Jack has built from decades of travel to keep the long trip on foot, and continued uphill. 

Jack doesn’t think when running, soon it will be dark, and the moon will come out, he can’t see her tonight. Jack cannot face her alone. 

Jack crosses the town and goes on the familiar path uphill. His legs burn and his feet are sore. He doesn’t stop, not even to look back, he keeps going until he stops in front of the rock wall. It was shorter than when he first saw it, but it was still a bitch to climb up and even worse to climb down. 

On the way down, Jack could see his breath leave him like little vapor clouds and his knuckles and fingers turned red in the effort to grip the rocks. 

The elf finds himself fighting against an invisible force to enter the empty darkness of the cave. 

Everything in the land is filled with magic, Jack can’t usually sense but with the moon high and nearly full, he feels the magic surrounding him. The magic was a present as the air, buzzing in the silence, and blinding Jack in the darkness. The stress was raising his heartbeat until it was all he could hear. Jack was frozen in place while his heart pounds inside his chest and begins to freak out. 

It was bad tonight, but it will be worse tomorrow when the moon is full. 

Jack needs to go back and ask Perlen to take him in. Angry and frustrated, Jack searches for a candle in one of the bags. He didn’t want to go back to his clan, but what were his options.

“Ah,” Jack drops the candle when he feels it burn. It wasn’t hot, it just held a little magic. Jack continued to use the candle and search for the fire stones. The strain in his body was moving from an increased heart rate to palpitations. Jack felt something metal looking through the bag. It was cool, smooth, and familiar, but more importantly, it was silent. 

Jack pulls the knife, and after feeling the shape he concludes that this was Chase’s knife. The only item Chase held while in his slumber. It was the only clue the Naga had about whatever curse or spell was used on him, but the knife had been a dead end so far. If Chase found something about it, he didn’t share it with Jack.

The elf breathes easier, the world around him has slowed down, and the knife somehow eases the pressure in his chest. His heart was still beating faster than it should, but Jack could concentrate and do the breathing exercises from when he was young. He moves in the dark and opens the cabinet, there is a sedative in the largest bottle he can take. 

Not so long ago. When Jack felt the magic called him back in the desert, it had been fading but still strong, and Jack assumed it came from the knife. Now the knife is the only object that has no magical connection to anything. It was puzzling.

Jack lays in the blankets, alone in the dark, holding the knife close, and bracing himself for the impulse to leave the cave but it never comes. 

Jack wakes up by sunrise, used to the early schedule by his companion, and begins his day. He considers keeping the knife with him, but Jack opted to return it, not wanting to become suspicious to Chase.

Jack spends his day cooking, preparing their bags to leave as soon as the full moon passes, sets a medical kit, and busies himself all day. Jack prepares a fire camp inside the cave using rocks, twigs, and a candle set in the middle. 

Lastly, Jack collects rocks and forms a protective sigil in one of the inner caves. The trip to go back and forth was tiring and allow him to think too much. The sigil was unusual to a moon elf, Jack learned it by chance from a werewolf who sought shelter many years ago. It’s supposed to keep the song of the full moon at bay. 

Jack fills a pot with small rocks, takes them to the cave he selected, and uses them to draw the sigil. It has been a long time since he used it, and it was very complicated. If Jack dared to be realistic, he knew he won’t have it ready by tonight. But then, what is he to do?

Jack could go back to Perlen and the others, but he doubts they will let him leave after. 

Jack could ask Chase to use magic. Chase is a powerful sorcerer, maybe he knows a spell to contain him for the night, but the man was out of practice.

Jack could look for Mada. The healer was very talented and has been helpful, but Jack has no reason to believe she knew about magic. 

The sun was coming down.

Not now, but soon.

Jack left his clan over fifty years ago. He thought about it for so long, made plans, and talked to Perlen about his life living outside the clan’s strict watch, but the day he left he could only take what he had at hand. The elf dreamed of leaving the clan and exploring a world that might be more accepting, but he was too scared then as he is now.

The day Jack left, mother Ursula found him in the library practicing black magic and she was going to accuse him to the council of elders, so he left out of fear.

The greatest decision of his life was taken by fear, and even now Jack is afraid. 

Jack puts down the last rock, but he isn’t done even one-fourth of the way.

Realistically, the sigil won’t work. Even if Jack finishes it, he forgot the spell that activates it. 

Realistically, Chase won’t know or be ready to perform such a specific spell, if he did then the naga would have suggested it by now. Mada, a human healer, won’t be much help either.

He is supposed to be resourceful, but nothing he thinks feels like an option. 

Jack stands and absentmindedly goes to collect more rock. 

At the foot of the cave, he sees Chase dangling on the top of the rock wall. The elf blinks surprised to see Chase. Jack has been preparing for his arrival all day, but also he has been so busy on his own head. 

“Chase,” Jack says softly. The elf stands frozen in his own pitiful state and wishes he could be more like the naga; determined, strong and fearless. Jack looks at the man intensively, happy that he comes back victorious but deeply envious. Then the naga lost his grip on the wall. “Chase!” 

Jack runs. He doesn’t think he runs, even after Chase has made it safely to the ground. 

“Jack?” Chase turns to catch the elf jumping and ends up with his back flat against the wall. “Jack!” 

“I saw the fire! I thought of going back-” Jack felt worse than a coward or a weakling. He felt like he didn’t deserve the warm embrace. 

“No, no.” Chase presses his forehead against Jack. “You did right by coming here.” Jack squeezes his eyes closed and smells the medicine from Chase’s bandages. “The duchess wasn’t a shapeshifter. She wasn’t much at all, an old Heylin creature, named Gigi of all names, controlled her.” Jack tenses to the mention of Heylin magic. Reminders of his past keep popping in all directions like the moon can taunt him now at all times. “He could control all the flora in the duchess’ estate. Gigi, he was trapped there.”

“I saw part of the fight,” Jack admits ashamed to have only run, leaving Chase to fight for himself, but he wouldn’t have been any help. It would be a death sentence to go pick a losing fight like that, but that’s what Chase does. “Why didn’t you run?” Jack needs to know. “I mean, if he was trapped,” Unlike the moon, who can follow Jack anywhere, “then why didn’t you just run?” Jack was asking how Chase could choose to fight, even when it means risking his life. 

Chase didn’t answer, his eyes fluttered close and he fell forward almost collapsing. He had enough sense in him to let go of Jack before falling. Jack steps away but then back. “Ek!” Jack didn’t want to keep abandoning Chase. “Chase-” 

“If I were to collapse now, you believe you could keep me up?” Chase’s laugh echoes in Jack’s ears.

“Then don’t collapse here,” Jack supports Chase, he could at least do that, “jerk!” Jack pulls Chase but the man doesn’t answer. He takes a moment to look at all the cuts Chase sports, the tired smile, and disoriented eyes, yet Chase still holds his head high. Chase Young has lost so much and he still had a sense of dignity and confidence. "Your highness?" 

Jack enjoys the little chuckle that escapes Chase, and they move into the cave. 

Chase practically collapses on the mock-mattress, and Jack tries to help Chase with his injuries but he makes for a talentless nurse. 

“Thank you,” Chase says but shoos Jack away. 

“Okay!” Jack looks at the naga work and thinks of his own self. “You are really good at this.” 

Jack knows he isn't needed there, so he goes to fetch Chase’s meal. 

Jack thinks of how much he has changed and advanced in the last half a century, but today it feels like his efforts got him nothing. 

“I have plenty of practice.” Jack kneels next to Chase and offers a hot pot filled to the rim with rabbit stew. “Before I was a king, I was a common fighter.” 

“I figured that out.” Practice is supposed to make you better. But Jack didn’t feel better or stronger after so many years. 

The elf felt stuck in a place without options. 

The sound of Chase desperately trying to fish every piece of meat out of the pot. 

Jack smiles at his companion feeling proud of the naga. 

Jack felt like Sylarus.

“After a fighter, I was a merchandiser and cartographer,” Jack wasn’t expecting a conversation, but he welcomed any distraction.

“A fellow cartographer?” Jack brews tea, now remembering his years learning astronomy and the satisfaction to use it. “Why didn’t you say something before?”

“I wanted to see if you were competent first?” Chase takes a few spoonfuls before continuing, “And I mapped the land, not the skies, I was trying to find the best route to cross the desert.” 

“Did you?” Jack was worried about using constellation maps, but he missed the moon and the stars. Deciding to do so was a risk, a calculated one. 

“I did,” Chase said like it was nothing.

“You did? What-” 

“A long time ago, Jack, the land changed. The path I paved is gone.” 

Jack stares at Chase for a long time. To Jack, everything Chase did looks like a big deal, not to Chase.

The elf wonders in silence, and the quietness allows his turmoil of negative emotions to be heard again.

Jack still feels like Sylarus. He said it to himself and now he can’t ignore it. All the work he did and the experiences that are supposed to change him were nothing the moment Jack is confronted with stressors from his old life. He regresses.

“Sucks,” Jack says with so much emotion it hurts him.

“It really does,” Chase sits up and looks at Jack carefully serving the tea. “Everything I always wanted, everything I work for, is gone,” Chase takes the tea and looks Jack in the eye. “But do you want to know the worst thing about it?” 

“What?” Jack was suddenly shaken by a different perspective. Chase was a king, to the naga his progress might still feel like nothing. Like he is back to square one.

“It wasn’t enough.” Chase takes a sip of his tea. 

“What do you mean?” Jack inches closer trying to apply whatever misguided wisdom Chase was trying to share into his own predicament. 

“My goals haven’t changed Jack, the more I medicate about it, the more decisive I become; I want to be king.” 

It took everything in Jack not to laugh. They were in a cave living in the most humble conditions.

“King?” Jack sounds at best skeptical. 

“King.”

“How?” 

Chase didn’t have an answer or plan, just a very faraway. It made Jack laugh, but also he understands better now why Chase didn’t run. Why Chase chooses to fight.

They continued to talk for a bit, but Jack kept getting lost in his own head. He was thankful to be reminded to clean himself. 

While going over the motions of discarding his clothes, cleaning himself with a wet towel, and getting dressed Jack thinks about tonight. 

The full moon will come soon.

Just like that night, when Jack was found practicing dark magic, he has the same set of decisions. He could go back to his clan for protection and face the consequences, or he could tell Chase and keep running forever.

Or Jack could have faced her. 

The fear of what to do melts away as Jack decides what to do, he wants to see the moon. She is his goddess and she has called upon him. Jack needs to believe that if he shows it to face her if he risks his life, he too can be victorious. 

They talk mostly about nothing. Chase tells him about the days building the palace and trading labor for materials. Jack listens attentively and he asks question after question. They lay on the floor, at a safe distance to avoid accidentally hurting Chase at night but holding hands. It was terribly corny, but both had grown used to physical contact. And tonight more than ever, Jack needs Chase. 

The pair whispers pieces of conversation, responses becoming further apart as sleep takes them away, and both are deep sleep. 

  
  


Jack wakes up with a sudden rush. He was lost in the dark, the only anchor to the world was the hand he held, and the rest is a call to leave the cave.

The call wasn't as overwhelming as Jack imaging it would be, or as scary. Jack looks for Chase but he can’t see him in the dark, still, Jack stays in place imaging the sleeping face of his companion. Jack imagines all the new bruises that keep appearing before old ones could finish healing and the multitude of cuts over his body. 

The magic calls Jack again. It wasn’t loud, it was just absolute.

Jack could only hear Chase’s soft breathing and moon. He sits up and tries to look for the light, but they were too deep into the cave to see the light. 

Jack stands and carefully steps over Chase. The moment he does, the man disappears from his mind. 

There isn’t anyone in the cave but Jack, and he feels lonely. 

The moon is sweet and she seeks company.

Jack follows an invisible path until he is at the entrance of the cave. He stops and looks at the moon, still shelter by the cave’s shadow.

The blue moon was beautiful. 

There were no wind, magic, or creatures in the prairie. There was only the moon and Jack, no reason for prudence. 

Jack steps into the light and undresses. 

Then she calls for him to come and Jack obeys. 

He doesn’t feel the cold or pain as he climbs the rock wall. The ground doesn’t pain him as his feet bleed on the grass. His mind doesn’t suffer at the madding drumming of his heart, his mind is clear. 

Jack walks the path in complete darkness, pulls by a force much greater than him. He hums with the moon and twirls carelessly through the forest. 

He isn't sure how long he has been when he reaches the lake.

The lake is a perfect mirror. 

The moon reflects beautifully over the water, and the almost frozen surface shines with a bright blue light; it was magical. The music fills the air and Jack takes a deep bow, before stepping into the late. His feet didn’t mind the icy water, he walks over the water like leaf glides on the surface, and his toes turn red before turning purple. 

The moon was a teacher, she holds Jack’s arms and guides them. And soon, the elf is dancing in the perfect form under her light. 

Everything around was darkness except for the reflection of the moon, and she, herself, in the sky. Jack turns up to look at her and he couldn’t look away.

He performs the short ballet dance with impeccable precision, caring not for his body or mind, only to entertain her. Once done, Jack curtseys and bows to her teacher. 

Then he starts again. 

The music, as her light, feels eternal and Jack knows this is how many die. Moon elf to face the moon must be magically strong enough to break out her spell or resilient enough to endure the dance all night. 

Jack wasn’t either; he has low magic capacities and his heart will fail him before the night is up. But the elf has to believe that his body is stronger, that he can make it through the night. 

If he does, then he will be an adult in the eyes of the moon.

If Jack does this, Sylarus will truly be a past name and not a cruel reminder. The moon is the courage he needs. She the audience and applaud, and Jack just wants to dance for her. 

Jack repeats the dance again, again and again. His skin splits open from the cold as the first stages of frostbite eat at his toes and his chest tightens dangerously.

Jack continues to dance, unable to feel all the warnings his body suffers through. 

Jack isn’t Jack anymore.

He is a dancer, an extension of the moon whims. He opens his eyes wider as if he could take in more of her light than he can, and forces his body to dance the piece again.

Then the oddest thing happened, water was splatter against his legs. 

The dancer doesn’t turn.

He continues to gracefully perform his piece until a voice screams for him to stop.

“JACK!”

Jack looks at Chase, feets away reaching out for him, but like a sudden thought, he flashes in and out of his conscious mind. 

Jack dances, every so often he hears a different call, but the moon is there and her authority over Jack is absolute. 

“JACK-” 

Jack can’t turn, his arms and legs move on their own the same as his lungs breath or his heart pumps. But all has its limits.

“TAKE MY HAND,” 

Chase was so close, and Jack wanted to tell him to let him dance. Jack couldn’t speak; he could only dance until the light of the moon was abruptly taken from the sky. 

Without the moonlight, Jack has no magic to keep him afloat, and he sinks in the freezing water. All the pain he couldn’t feel during the night rushed to him all at once, and he screamed under the water almost drowning immediately. The elf tries to find the surface but he is blind in the dark and can’t orientate himself.

Jack would have drowned but a pair of strong hands helped him up just long enough for him to notice a fire. 

“Chase!” Jack looks for the naga to feel the hands that held him up to pull him into the water. 

The sky was cloudy and Chase remembered Jack’s story; the moment the moon was hidden he sank into the water and almost drown. Chase tried to reach Jack by coiling his tail around a rock and pulled him. But Jack was too far in and forced Chase to go further in. To reach Jack, Chase had to use the rock to push himself forward, now he has nothing to anchor him. All he has to hold is Jack.

Both sink in the lake, Jack struggles to break free not ready to die like that. And Chase looks at what he chose to die for. He isn’t regretful, he knows that when choosing to fight you most always risk your life. But, Chase wished he knew his sacrifice was at least worth it. Under the water, he sees the moon glow above and Jack’s red eyes come to a sudden realization. There were so many emotions in those eyes as Chase let go of Jack and the moon pulled him back up.

Jack tries to swing back down, hysterically trying to reach Chase as the naga sinks deeper almost peacefully. The moon pulls Jack to the surface of the water and Jack struggles to breathe. He still tries to go back, as useless as that would be. The wind blows and Jack trembles at the low temperatures. 

The moon calls him and Jack keeps his eyes looking for Chase who struggles to move towards the shore. He won’t make it.

The blinding light that reflects on the lake blinds Jack and his eyes sparkle with the same silver, but he in his sadness cries it out before it can take over him.

The wind, the sound of animals, the light of the fire from the shore and Chase disappears. Then it is physical pain, memories, and thoughts vanish until Jack is empty. 

Experiences, bad or good, are forgotten. 

Jack is left there alone, barely Jack. 

Except for his heart, the only sound left. 

Jack looks up to the moon, his ruby eyes puzzlingly look for answers or meaning where there are none. 

“Please,” Jack whispers as he feels a chill go through his bones and fear burn in his throat, “give me the strength” it would be a prayer if Jack pray, “just for tonight.” 

Then the elf puts both of his hands on the surface of the water and calls for the moon’s magic, it hurts. The magic on his was enough for a spell but he needs more strength than he has. 

“ **_Tenebit Fortitudinem Tuam_ ** ” Jack screams as he uses the magic he holds, a new wave of magic pushes through him feeding the same spell. 

The water under him swirls forming an underwater hurricane that accounts for all the lake and violently explodes completely emptying the lake. Jack falls in a ditch mud that was the lake and feels his way for Chase. He is happy to find the naga, while disoriented and confused, he was responsive and alive. It takes no time for the pair to attempt to crawl their way out as rain falls on them and water from all corners accumulates and streams back down to reform the lake. The thick mud and rivers of freezing water pushing them down made it harder to crawl to the shore, but somehow both made it. 

Panting and coughing water out, the pair collapse under their own weight. 

“Jack,” Chase spoke and Jack’s whole body tense, “we have to go to the fire.”

“Mm,” was all Jack could muster and try to stand up when Chase told him to crawl. 

Jack was too tired to question it and the camp was close enough. So he does as he is told and reaches the nice fire. 

The elf didn’t register that he was cold until he was next to the fire. 

Slowly the pair warm up near the fire. Chase tries to get rid of all the muck that covers his wounds and Jack looks at the moon. The elf was emotionally, physically, mentally and any other shape or form, completely exhausted. But the moon still calls him. 

“Jack,” Chase calls and Jack turns, remembering everything “put clothes on.” The elf goes to pick a few items and stops to look at the moon. Chase was about to call him again when he noticed the red eyes staring at the blue moon.

“She is beautiful,” Jack lets out, feeling nostalgic. 

Chase glares at the moon and uses his tail to circle the fire, and fencing Jack in. 

“Not the words I would use right now,” Chase combs his hair with his fingers and finds a small fish. He throws it on the fire.

“She is lunatic,” Jack was still just holding the shirt he picked and Chase stopped what he was doing to look at Jack.

“Put your clothes on and come near the fire before I decide to eat you to replenish my strength,” Chase screams at him, it might have been the first time. It reminds Jack that Chase has all right to be furious at him. Jack looks at Chase like a deer that is about to be slaughtered. “Now, Jack”

Jack hurries to put on the shirt, a pair of pants, and struggles to put on a boot to find his toes were a bloody mess. 

“Ahh, fucking stars.” Jack feels queasy looking at his bloody heals and toes. 

“Come near the fire, Jack.” Chase sighs and Jack obeys.

They still sit near each other and Jack tries to figure out how to apologize but he keeps spacing out to look at the moon.

He should be tired, everything hurts and he feels dizzy, but right now he feels like dancing. But he is so tired.

“Did you know tonight was a full moon?” Chase asks, not really angry at almost drowning while trying to save Jack; he chose to do so. However, the elf can always tell when the moon is one the sky, so how were they caught by surprise.

Jack looks at the fire for a long time. He knows Chase already knows the answer.

“No.”

“Jack. Don’t make me ask you again.”

“Yes,” Jack looks down, takes a deep breath, and turns to face Chase. It was a mistake.

Until now Jack has seen Chase show dominance over enemies but never directed towards him. Chase leans forward and his tail circles them visibly, leaving no exit. The naga digs his claws on the dirt and shows the fangs, any creature would fear him. But it was his eyes, anger darkens his expression and Jack saw himself reflected in the golden irises. 

“You knew,” he spats out, “and didn’t do anything to prepare. You put us both in danger and risk everything. Jack, next time you feel like drowning in a lake I’ll not bother to look for you.” 

Jack could tell that Chase wasn’t a man to give others second chances. Actually, he wouldn’t risk his life for many.

“I’m sorry.”

“You being sorry accounts for nothing!” Chase hisses.

Chase has never before risked his life for anyone but himself. Tonight he fought for Jack, and Jack fought right back for Chase. Chase will not forget that Jack went against the moon. 

But the naga was no fool, even as sweet as the gesture was, he would prefer if the whole situation could have been prevented. 

Jack opens his mouth and nothing comes out. It wasn’t like he doesn't have an explanation, he just has too many. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers as the tears fall from his eyes, and Chase can’t help but feel his anger fade a bit.

“If you are sorry, then tell me why.”

“Is just-” Jack clears his throat, he was getting a terrible headache. “I thought, I thought I would be okay.”

“Why? Every conversation we have about the full moon is about how damaging it can be to you.” Chase looks at the crying elf, “what made it different earlier today, when you chose to say nothing.” 

Jack tries to put into words the weight of his past life, decades traveling, and his sense of self all colliding tonight during the full moon. Jack tries to explain that if the moon accepts him, then Jack can be proud no matter what. But words fall short.

“Jack,” Chase looks at the elf, still furious, “you said you trust me.”

“I do,” Jack can hear her again. He moves to look at her but Chase cups his chin, keeping his attention. 

“Then rely on me. If not then, at least do it now.” His anger was still alive but the way Jack puts his hand over Chase’s and snuggles makes his heart soar. 

Jack closes his eyes tightly and tries to explain the best he can.

“You want to be king.” He says and looks at Chase in the eye, “I want to be strong.”

“Strong?’ Chase repeats Jack has many great qualities, strength isn't one. Physical or magical, Jack struggled greatly. Mentally or emotionally, Jack was great at prioritizing and endurance but not actual strength. 

“The moon elves train under the moon,” Jack sits up and explains, while still holding Chase’s hand, “she is our teacher, our guide, our goddess. She watches over us, from childhood and on the full moon of our 100 birthday she calls you to dance with her. She chooses only the strong to pass to adulthood. The rest stay children,” Jack feels sick, “they stay as they were.” static in place for another hundred years. 

Chase looks at Jack with a pitiful expression. 

He turns to pick a pot, adds water from a canteen, and places it on the fire over.

Chase wishes he knew how to comfort people because he doesn’t want to be mean to Jack right now. While Chase is not happy with Jack at the moment, there is no reason to rub salt in a still-healing wound. Or in Jack’s case, a very fresh and very deep wound.

“You really thought that facing the moon tonight would make you strong. Did it work? Did it make you stronger?” Chase doesn’t look at Jack, he prepares tea.

“I-” Jack was stunned by the question, “maybe, I think that-”

“It didn’t Jack.” Chase looks at the elf from the corner of his eyes just to see those words crush the poor man. “You are the same as you were this morning and the same that you will be in a week.” 

“No!” Jack, “I fought the moon! I saved us!” Jack stands with a sudden rise of energy.

“Yes, you saved us. But not because you became strong tonight. Your abilities didn’t increase in a night, you push to your current limit because of extraordinary circumstances. That. You. Caused. May I remind you.” 

Jack thinks about Chase’s words and looks unsure of how to answer that.

“You can’t become stronger in a night,” Chase stops and to savor his own hypocrisy, “increasing your capacities is a process, not a one-night endurance test.” Chase opens a tea container and drops some loose leaves before continuing. “Tonight was a rite of passage, a moment of judgment, not magical accelerated training. It’s incredibly stupid of you to think otherwise.”

Jack sits and hangs his head between his knees.

He thought that if he shows himself to the moon tonight, then he would become stronger. Why?

“Tonight is supposed to be my moon,” Jack says and Chase pours two cups of tea.

“Do a lot of elves drown in their rite of passage?” Chase puts a cup on Jack’s hand and the elf immediately presses it against his face.

“No, most people are ready when the day comes.” Trained for it for years; just like Chase said, it’s a process. 

“It’s ginger with orange,” Chase says and Jack struggles to say thank you between his tears. “Your moon is incredible.”

Jack laughs at that. 

“I feel so pathetic,” Jack finally admits, “I didn’t feel that way until I-” Jack has been struggling with his past, now more than ever. “I just want to prove that I’m just as strong as anyone else but I can’t. And maybe I should get used to it.”

“You might be in a pitiful state, but no reason to sound so pathetic Jack is depressing.” Chase sips his tea and tries to ignore Jack’s never-ending supply of tears. “The truth is that I’m also in a pitiful state. But I cannot allow myself to wallow in my own sadness for long. It’s not effective and very unattractive.”

“Unattractive?” Jack is repeatedly surprised that the first person he reveals his deepest insecurities has just deemed them as whining. 

“Yes. Jack, you are one of the prettiest creatures the world has ever made and is a shame how you are covered in mud, snot, and a weird bug that has been crawling in your hair for this whole conversation.” 

“What?” Jack uses his fingers to look through his hair and pulls a weird beetle. “Oh fucking comets and the whole incestuous celestial family,” Jack throws the thing on the fire, “this night will never end.”

“It has been quite eventful, but I’m surprised you wanted to end.”

“Why? Do you think I’m dying to dance in freezing water so I can evaluate my own ceremony and had to come to the conclusion that I’m not who I’m supposed to be!” 

“Because tonight is your moon.” Chase makes a ‘tsk’ sound. 

Jack stops and looks at the moon again. She was really beautiful. The silver moon hangs heavy on the sky and a bright blue light bathes everything.

Tonight was his.

“I want to dance with her.” Jack lets out. She is calling him. 

Chase glares at Jack and waits for the elf to make a move so he can knock him to the floor with his tail. 

“I can’t believe that you are ready to go swimming in cold water again.” 

“I’m not.” Jack lets out and a new wave of sadness washed over him. It was then that he notices that while he feels all different types of exhausted, he isn’t overwhelmed by magic. He has been under the moonlight for a while but he has stayed conscious, maybe a bit spacy, but conscious. “I’m not ready to dance alone on the lake with the moon.” But tonight was special, a moon dedicated to Jack. “I might never be,” he whispers just for him, but the naga has sharp ears. “I’m going to dance with the moon, from here.” 

“I’ll knock you out if you make a run for it.” Chase waves the end of his tail as his weapon.

Jack nods and takes a few steps away. He has to remember the dance, while he performed it many times, it was the magic-using his body. Now he is allowed to dance alone. 

Jack bows and looks up to the moon. 

“The 12 moon faces, for you.” Jack began to dance and Chase couldn’t keep his eyes out of Jack.

He was terrible.

The elf hasn’t practiced the dance since he left his clan and he keeps stopping mid-step trying to remember the rest. Also, while ballet is graceful and precise, Jack’s movements are too energetic and big. It would be too awkward to enjoy, but there was so much emotion in Jack’s dance and the elf's handsome smile made it quite a sight. 

Chase uses a rag and medicine to care for his injuries and watches Jack dance. The clothes cling to his skin as Jack dances, and his playful laughter rings sweetly through the night. The elf found himself longing to move and keep moving until his bones stop aching and all his desires are clenched. 

Jack dances, again and again, taking breaks in between, and bows deeply after every performance.

Jack didn’t stop until the sun came. Once the sunrise paints the sky, Jack lets his body fall on the ground. He stays there for a few minutes looking at the faraway silhouette of the moon. The elf stands in his trembling legs and screams on elven language to the moon. 

Chase was a bit startled by the scream, he stayed up watching Jack, and screaming was a fitting way ending to his performance. 

Jack turns back, looking content with himself, and drops near Chase. He curls in a tight ball, a behavior more suited to a naga or lamia than an elf, but Chase found it endearing. 

Jack keeps his eyes open and Chase can see the single silver sparkle disappear. The naga can finally relax, he lays as close as he can to the elf without touching him (to protect his injuries) and curls his tail around them.

“Thank you for coming for me.” Jack's voice was simple but Chase could feel the emotion.

“I was beginning to think you have no manners.” Chase answers. 

“Thank you for entering the water,” Jack felt his throat tighten. 

“I won’t do that again.” Chase warms and Jack snorts to that.

“I know,” Jack squeezes his eyes tightly shut. “Thank you for saving me.”

“Thank you for saving me right back.” Chase didn’t want to get in the fact that he was ready to give his life for Jack or mention this was the first time Chase has ever cared enough for someone to do so. 

And Jack didn’t want to start considering that his relationship with the moon shouldn’t be magical and that he can’t be a moon elf like others.

“Thank you for staying the night,” Jack says and tries to relax. He thought that would be the last of their ‘thank you’s.

But Chase has one more.

Not a ‘thank you,’ but something similar.

“Jack,” Chase wanted to say something because he knows Jack is going through an emotional period he can’t help him with. Chase wanted to say something significant but real. Something that explains everything but fits in one sentence, “I’m happy I got to meet you.”

Jack smiles at it, and slowly before he can fall asleep he deciphers the meaning of it. He knows that a lot of things went wrong for Chase to end up where he is. He didn’t say thankful or lucky -as thankful or lucky Jack found him, he said 'happy'. And he didn’t save or accompany -as to how Jack saved Chase or accompanied him, he said 'meet'. 

“It might not mean as much, but I’m happy I got to meet you too.”

“It means a lot.” Chase knows that Jack’s obstacles are different on his own, but they are very real. 

“Thank you,” Jack says before falling asleep, soon accompanied by Chase.

The next day will soon force them to wake up, for the day won't be as patient as the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thank you for comments people! I feel so happy reading them!!! 
> 
> Beta still wanted if anyone wants. Or just critics, this is becoming a much bigger project than I thought!   
> Also, questions: (1) should I change the tag to explicit violence? and (2) would smut on the later chapters be cool or made the thing too much? (of course, I could have to change the tag)


	9. On the run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No break for Chase and Jack.  
> They wake up to find out that hunters are looking for them, and they gotta get out of there quick!

**Wanted**

Chapter 9

Jack closes his eyes and tries to ignore the glare of the sun and the biting cold on his skin. He stands up, carefully jumps over his companion’s tail, and goes to get more firewood for the dying fire. The fire burned high last night, but the dampness of the night has reduced to warm amber. If Jack hurries, he could still relight it relatively quickly without waking up Chase. 

The elf turns to look at the sleeping naga. Usually, Chase is the first one to wake up, but today he is sound asleep. Of course, no one could blame him; he has spent the last few nights fighting a mythological creature, traveling severely injured, and swimming in a freezing lake. 

Jack felt guilt and something else mixing on his gut. He ignores it for now and looks for firewood; that is his problem at hand. The task was harder than he thought. Jack’s feet hurt with every step, and all wood around them is damp. 

He considers going further away, but his body is sore, and, likely, other nearby areas are also damp. Jack looks at the red and black reminds of the fire and hugs himself, Chase must have taken wood from the cave. The weather is turning colder by night, and it took two days for the wood they collected to dry. 

Jack looks at the two bags containing all their belongings. He imagens that in a moment of panic, Chase didn’t waste time searching for specific things, he just carried everything with him. Jack mentally praises the quick thinking while moving to search for another shirt; if the naga had come later than he did, Jack might have to drown. 

The naga shifts on his sleep, searching for his missing warm pillow. 

Jack smiles to himself and sits next to Chase, and plays with the black strands that lightly curl in every direction. 

The odd feeling returns. Jack is thankful that Chase rescued him, but he wished he had been able to face the moon alone. He wished he could have danced with her without the complications. 

Jack is pulled from whatever corner in his mind when he hears a branch breaking. He waits in high alert for another sound to give the location of whoever made it.

It could be a deer, Jack considers, slowly standing up, but deers know how to walk in the forest. Another branch breaks.

Few things are large and heavy enough to be loud, and Jack moves closer, peeking behind a tree. Jack sees the outline of a person moving between the trees. The elf freezes, no one comes here, there is an old magic that works as a barrier for low-level magical creatures and the locals avoid the hills due to superstition. He considers moon elves, they are strong enough to walk through the magic barrier, but they usually move at night, unless they are hunting something or someone who can only be found in the morning. Jack backs away, and his back stumbles flat against a broad chest. His first instinct is to scream, but a large hand forces him silent and tilts him up. 

Jack’s muffled scream turns into a relieved sigh when he sees Chase. 

The naga tastes the air visibly confused and whispers to Jack. 

“It’s a human, from the inn.” 

Jack blinks in shared confusion. In the time they had been living here, no one had attended to visit him. Even Bunny, who always leaves for hunting trips, avoid this territory altogether. 

“Chase! Jack!” A familiar voice, technically three, calls for them.

“Sunny?” Jack asks under Chase’s grip. 

“Guys! Where are you?” It wasn’t a scream, more like a whisper scream. 

The two look at each other and nod, agreeing to meet him. 

“Over here,” Chase calls. 

The pair return to their camp and await in a safe spot where they could maneuver a fight or escape.

“Jack!” Sunny sounds stressed and struggled to reach them. 

“Sunny!” Jack busies himself to silently excuse himself for not going to meet Sunny in person. “What are you doing here?” 

Chase lays on the floor. He is hurt enough to justify not going to meet him.

“I have been looking for you! I was worried that you two were on fire! But Mada told me she saw Chase going uphill and then I -I imagined or well I hoped that Jack was with you!” Sunny was exhausted from running uphill and shaking with fear. 

“Come here, Sunny.” Chase signals Sunny, and Jack moves to offer him some water. Whatever suspicion the two harbors quickly melted into the same conclusion, Sunny is not a threat. 

“Thank you for checking on us, Chase got hurt during the fire, and we both fled back.”

“Because of the fire?” Sunny takes the water and looks at the pair carefully. 

Chase and Jack were surprised by the question. They look at each other and them at Sunny.

“Yes.” Chase tilts his head in faux-innocence, suddenly remembering that he killed the duchess, Pato, and Gigi. And two of those left corpses. “Why else?”

“We figured we wouldn’t be any help, and so we came back here,” Jack adds while Sunny decides something in silence. 

“You two really don’t know?”

“No-”

“Know what?” Chase pushes. “Sunny, you are starting to worry us.” He makes a small show of pulling Jack closer to him. After all, they had an image to keep up. 

It was this small act that helped Sunny make up his mind.

“Bounty hunters. They came looking for you guys a few days ago.”

“Bounty hunters?!” Jack has worked with some before, but there is no reason for either of them to have a bounty. Jack is just another word-wanderer, and Chase has been asleep for nearly a millennium. “What could bounty hunters want with us?” 

“You don’t know?” Sunny asks, scared for the answer, but still too conflicted to not ask. Usually, people know why someone would send bounty hunters after them. The question was more directed to Chase. 

“How did you know? What they said?” Chase was surprised, but this was not the first time he had someone after him. Chasconsidered the possibility that he might be followed after waking up, though unlikely, he still chose to leave the desert as soon as he could. 

“They asked for you.” Sunny looks at Chase as if he was a stranger. “Large, nearly forty feet long, green scales, black hair, built, almond golden eyes- you. They are looking for you,” he stops and turns to Jack, “they mention he might or might not travel with a moon elf, red hair, and eyes with pinkish skin.” 

“Pinkish?” Jack repeats because that was easier to nitpick than the rest. Except that gave Jack a clue. “They are following us from the desert.” The heroes who asked Jack to take them to the heart of the desert a few months ago. 

“Why?” Sunny asks bravely, drunk in curiosity. 

“Because I’m a naga.” Chase quickly comes up with a plausible reason. “The last of my kind.”

“A naga! I thought all died in the Valley war.” Sunny brings his hands up to his mouth.

“Not all,” Chase explains delicately, “some hid until they could regain strength, but we became the target of witches.”

“The black market.” Sunny sighs in a sorrowful understanding. 

“We were almost hunted to extinction. Now, I believe I might be the very last of my kind.” 

“Chase!” Jack turns with crocodile tears spilling from the corners of his pretty eyes, and Chase leans to press his forehead against Jack’s. “You could have told me!” The last sentence was so dramatic that Chase has to take a deep breath to avoid laughing. 

“I hope we will be safe here,” Chase tries topping Jack’s theatrics, “and I didn’t want to worry you. I just want you to be happy.” 

“Oh, my king.” Jack cuddles to Chase, not wanting to back out from the challenge even with the new development. “You knew about this?” Jack whispers in Chase’s ear.

“It was a possibility; I will explain later,” Chase whispers back. “I hope,” he continues loud enough for all to hear, “that you can still trust me.”

“I do,” Jack doesn’t need to think about that. Chase proved his loyalty last night when he risked and gave his life to buy Jack more time. 

Sunny blushes and sheepishly looks away from the seemingly private moment. This was just like his favorite novel.

“Well! We didn’t give you up! Grammy told them that you two were passing and long gone by now. They didn’t believe us and went to the town to look for you two. Then, the fire happened. They left to help, so hopefully, that gives you a few weeks to put distance between them.” 

Jack looks at Chase; he was too badly hurt to travel.

“Maybe we should rest for a day. Would you let us know if you hear a word of-”

“No,” Chase looks at Jack, “we should leave now.” 

“Now?” Jack and Sunny nearly scream in surprise.

“Not many know of my existence, and I do not want to underestimate the caliber of these hunters and risk our lives.” Chase stands up to his usual height, but it takes him a few seconds longer. “Also, I don’t want to waste the time your family has bought us.” 

“Chase, you could use some rest. Just a day.” The worry in Jack’s voice was real, and Chase gave him a soft smile. 

“I will rest once we put some distance.” His decision was final. Jack sat in place with more things to say, but he nodded in reluctant understanding. 

“I’ll get packing, and you rest while you can.” Jack stands, picking and packing their things. It shouldn’t take long.

“I’ll help you the way down,” Sunny inserts himself in the quiet conversation, “we can stop by Mada’s, she might have spare medicine for your travels.” 

“Thank you, Sunny,” Jack gives him a tired smile, as he hasn’t slept for a few nights. 

“Thank you,” Chase picks a bag, but Jack takes him from his hands. There are so many cuts over his body and bruises peeking from every angle. 

“It’s nothing,” Sunny blushes again, not used to the attention. 

In just a couple of minutes, the couple was ready to leave.

If Sunny found it strange that they were so ready to leave, he didn’t mention it.

  
  


They spend the way down talking about the bounty hunters.

They came to the inn looking rather beaten three days ago. They were four, sharing a single horse, wearing a red uniform of some kind. 

“Are they human?” Chase signals Jack to listen. Jack briefly described the heroes he guided through the desert, but those heroes are supposed to be dead. 

“Only one of them.” Sunny keeps his eyes on the ground. The dampness of the weather has created random mudslides. “A harpy, a half-minotaur, and a tiefling or half-tiefling. And a human. All of them were pretty rude.” Sunny adds with disdain, obviously still annoyed at them. 

“They might have been tired from the trip. I’m sure you get plenty of tired travelers.” 

“Yes,” Sunny agrees on the second part, “we are a popular inn after all,” a bit of pride in his tone, “a bit pricey maybe, but every coin is worth our stay!” 

“I got to stay in one of your rooms, and it was such heaven compared to camping.” Chase plays of that pride. The inn had its commodities: a comfortable enough bed, fresh meat for each meal, and a nice fire. It was nice, but it was just a commodores’ inn, and anyone used to better would accidentally disrespect the locals by not appreciating their humble commodities. 

“Yes! We served them a delicious board stew and fresh bread, but they didn’t finish it.” Sunny looks at a mud patch bitterly, “they asked for our best rooms, and when given to them, they questioned if those were our best rooms!” 

“Even criminals can have manners,” Chase pushes, and little by little, he gets the information he wants.

The harpy was a man, tall and slender with pale brown feathers on the front and a shockingly colorful display in the back. He was the friendliest of the group, and the siblings might have liked him if he didn’t relentlessly flirt with each. The harpy didn’t carry a weapon, unlike his companions.

The minotaur was the biggest of the group. Clay, tall and muscular with a mostly human face and body, except for his legs and a few features, he might appear as a faun to an untrained eye, but the massive horns and bull tail was a giveaway. He made a mess of the place and broke two chairs. Clay carries a shield on his back.

The tiefling was a petite angry woman. She spent her short stay glaring at everyone, from her companions to other patrons and workers. Kimiko Tohomiko, she said her full name as it should mean something to the servers from a remote village. She carries the most weapons with her, swords, daggers, bow and arrows, and a book of spells, all visible. 

Chase secretly looks at Jack, who nods at the descriptions. 

Lastly was the human, Chase stopped fishing for information since even Jack could take a human if it came to it. But Sunny kept talking.

The human was the youngest, and he looked out of place in the crowd. While everyone wore heavy armor, he wore a light robe, black fabric pants, and canvas shoes and on his back, a small wood staff. He ate small bites of bread and drank water for every meal, and asked questions like a child. He didn’t offer his name, but the others called him Omi. Every time he was called, he looked surprised like the name was still new to him. 

Sunny stops once they have made it out of the hill. And the group moves to Mada. 

The town was still empty, and the bloodstains Chase left on the ground had dried on the road. Jack looks at them and silently agrees with Chase; it is better to go now than to wait to be tracked and hunt.

“He didn’t blink.” Sunny remembers as they wait for Mada to answer the door. Jack and Chase turn their attention to Sunny. “He just stares at everything with unnerving confidence and child-like excitement. He didn’t even look tired!” Sunny notes the concern looks from the couple and clears his throat. 

Saved by the bell, Mada opens the door and invites them in. It was too tight in the room to stand, so Sunny and Jack sat on the table while Mada looked at Chase’s injuries. 

She looks mad.

Chase gives Sunny one last thought before turning his attention to Mada.

The man is a nervous mess, used to being protected by his family members’ strong personalities, but he has experience treating all sorts of people. Sunny was annoyed by his rude patrons, but he was scared of the human. 

“What did you do?” Mada undoes bandages after bandage to find a cloudy yellow liquid dripping from the wound. 

“I might have swan on the lake-”

“My lord! Why-” 

“And I dragged myself through the mud.” 

“Why?” Mada sounds like she is the one dealing with the aftermath. “Why would you do something so stupid?” 

Chase looks Jack in the eye. 

“I thought it would be fun.”

Jack hangs his head and covers his face in shame. 

“Oh! Then, you are going to think this is hilarious!” Mada angrily paces back and forth, looking for material and almost trips over Chase’s tail. “Okay, we gotta move you.” She opens the room, where she takes patience for more privacy. “Tomo, honey, how are you feeling?”

“Tomo is here?” Chase felt actual concern.

“Who is Tomo?” Jack asks, Sunny.

“Gramps.” Sunny fills in.

“Gramps?” Jack jumps from the table and goes inside the room.

“I’m fine, boy,” Gramps sits up, “I just don’t do good with surprises anymore.” 

“Tomo has a debilitating disease.” Mada helps the old man up, but he stays in place. “He just needs a calm place to rest from time to time.”

“What happened?” Jack sits next to Tomo. The old man likes Jack because the elf wants to learn the art of the blacksmith, and Tomo hoped he got to teach him. 

“I want to talk to you two about that. I remembered where I saw the knife.” 

Chase stares at Gramps from the doorframe. He looks so old. It shouldn’t be a surprise, but Chase just noticed that Gramps was in his last years.

“Where did you see it?” 

“A young man, a minotaur, I think, showed me a picture of it. My memory is not what it used to, but I remember the knife. That knife is something different.” 

Chase enters the room and looks at the old man, “did they check on you again?” He already knew the answer and the reason why Gramps was laying down in Mada’s care.

“Yes, but I told him I hadn’t seen that knife.” 

“Thank you,” Chase was surprised by his loyalty. 

The old man laughs, happy with himself. Chase and Jack said their good-byes, but they don’t tell him they are leaving for good. Sunny escorted him home. 

Mada insinuated to them that this was not the moment for Gramps to hear more surprising news. 

Jack was invited to stay inside the room while the healer treated Chase’s injuries, but he couldn’t do it.

“How is he gonna help you out there?” Mada muses out loud.

“I can take care of myself.” Chase kept a straight face until he saw her covering her face and pulling a thin sharp knife.

“I would still feel more comfortable with you staying. These bounty hunters can’t be that unreasonable. You can strike a deal. I heard that Jack is a great negotiator.”

“We both know I won’t be able to buy them out.” Chase closes his eyes in preparation as Mada uses a warm wet towel to clean his injuries.

“Maybe you can try an ambush. Bunny is a strong fighter and an adept hunter.” Mada cleans the cuts and bandages them new. But other cuts with the liquid need to be drained and thoroughly clean with alcohol. “And he rarely ends up in my office with life treating injuries.” She adds as Chase hisses in pain under her unforgiving touch. 

“I am sure he chooses to apply his own torment.” Chase could feel stopping in a particular cut. “These hunters are professionals.” That’s all he will say. 

“Then leave Jack behind.” She looks at the infected cut carefully before making the first incision. Mada was fast at her craft, but the pain was intense and inescapable. Chase’s tail twists on itself, and he bites his lower lip.

“Jack can take care of himself too,” Chase lets out a labored breath and feels the site of the cut pulsing, “or I hope he can,” he remembered just last night. 

Mada continues to talk about anything to keep Chase distracted from the pain. 

“It would be less lively with you two around. The village was enjoying the glow of new lovers, a sweet sort of warm you too shared.” 

Once all his injuries were cared for, Mada stands to drop her apron and mask in a basket. She pulls her necklace from under her dress with a key at the end. 

“You know I have pain medicine and sedatives.” 

“I prefer to stay conscious.” Chase lightly traces his fingers over his clothed belly. 

“I see that.” Mada unlocks a cabinet and pulls a tiny brown bottle. “That’s why I’m trusting you to take this.”

Chase takes the bottle and notices the simple four-petal flower on the tag. 

“The valley is still under the control of the Han family.” Chase feels the cold bottle between his fingers and looks at the fine powder. 

“Not since the war,” Mada says from her washing bowl. “Now Sibini controls the valley,” 

“Sibini,” Chase knew the name well. He was a weak insect with a talent for pranks and pointless chaos. Chase couldn’t believe that Sibini acquired the territory Chase fought for so long. Well, the insect had always been an opportunistic underhanded bug. He will simply have to add him to the list of enemies to take revenge on. 

Mada notices Chase’s reaction to the name but doesn’t comment on it. 

Chase thanks her again and leaves immediately. No long good-byes or explanations between them. There  Jack spent his time deciding what would be taken and what would be left behind. Books, pots, a hammer, and other items were laid on the table. Once Chase and Mada walk out, he is ready with two bags he feels comfortable carrying. 

It felt odd, leaving the village while everyone was away. Jack turns to look at the dark smoke clouds rising on the horizon and then walks next to Chase.

“Sucks to leave like this,” Jack says after a few minutes. 

“I was planning on suggesting leaving soon,” Chase casually scans for people, “I killed Pato.”

“YOU KILL-” Jack covers his mouth and looks around, “you killed Pato?’ He whispers accusingly.

“Yes, but it was self-defense. So worry not for my innocence.”

“You are not joking.” Jack processes a multitude of emotions in mere seconds. “But it was self-defense.”

“He came to me with a knife while I was badly injured.” Chase points to a bandage wound on his neck. “He intended to kill me.”

“Okay! And” Jack claps his hands, “his body would be lost on the fire!” 

“No, his remains are by the edge of the forest, far from the fire.” 

“Doesn’t matter! If we come back here, we can explain that it was self-defense.” Jack liked the little village, and he hoped to see Gramps again. And he knows he can spin a good defense for Chase if his crime were to end up on a trail. 

“It will be hard to prove self-defense though since I ate some of him.” Chase was having fun watching Jack freak out.

“You did what now?” Jack blackly looks at Chase as he processes those words. 

“I needed to regain strength-”

“You eat humans?!”

“When the time is right. This shouldn’t be a surprise. I told you that not even cannibalism is taboo between nagas.” Chase laughs at Jack’s nerves.

“Ah! That’s wrong,” Jack covers his face and feels nauseous “and gross. And how is that self-defense?”

“I was defending my life, then my hunger.” Chase ignores Jack’s stink eye and keeps moving ahead.

“You disgust me.” Jack picks up his pace to meet Chase’s. “But, please just stick to non-elf meals.”

“I have never tasted elf.” Chase pokes his tongue out and laughs at Jack’s terrified face.

“You are a jerk!” Jack laughs, feeling scared but not in real danger at the same time. “Do you have a preference?”

“Mm?” Chase blinks at that.

“In like, you said you tried humans, and I’m guessing you have tried other stuff- creatures. So?” Jack clears his throat, feeling only halfway through his question. It was morbid curiosity that he hoped won’t be judged too harshly by the other. 

“You are a little freak.” Chase lets out a low laugh. He knew Jack’s moral compass was not aligned with human or elf thinking. He just accepted Chase eating a person he talked with and worked with so quickly.

“Say the cannibal!” Jack hisses in embarrassment. Chase laughs aloud, and Jack crosses his arms.

“I prefer to eat my meat tender with substantial fat. But in a primal moment, all flesh is meat.” Chase notices that the forest seems to thin out the further they get from the village. 

“Oh.” Jack lets out a grim tone deep within him. “I guess we are all animals when cornered.” 

“That’s quite a bleak view.” Chase didn’t expect the dark understanding of the world from a bright person like Jack. But more than anything, Chase didn’t expect the meek young elf to identify with the predator more than the prey. In a ‘to eat or be eaten’ scenario, Jack refuses to align with those who will be eaten. 

“I guess it is,” Jack looks back to confirm the fire is still going far behind them, “in the desert, anyone could die at any time, I got used to it.”

“To death. I guess.” 

Jack nods. 

They walk in silence for a few minutes. 

“And you?” Jack redirects the conversation.

“Me?” Chase considers pushing a bit more but decides against it. “I am a king among men,” Jack rolls his eyes with a little smirk but listens. “Each naga is taught from birth to search and take total control over a territory.”

“That’s the king part. But I thought you guys were solitary creatures.” Jack looks up to Chase, and he remembers the handsome profile in gold coins. The king had shed his old life so quickly, but he keeps those memories with the intention of weaponized them. 

“One can get lonely. Establish nagas usually take a harem, which will fulfill various jobs. But I don’t want to fuck everyone on my payroll, so the model of a kingdom with subjects appeal to me.” Chase explains, and Jack gives him a look that reads, ‘it appeals to everyone.’ “I am to build my path if anyone in any way or form attends to stop me, I will attack with full force.”

“So is your right.” Jack holds one breath admiring the border-line delusional confidence the naga possesses. 

“It is.” Chase smiles, flashing those sharp fans and Jack’s heart races.

Anyone else would be a fool for even considering forging a kingdom on their own. But Chase is no fool. The man is a warrior with experience and skill to turn any fight in his favor. He is observant of his surroundings and intelligent to mold himself to best benefit him. Chase is a terrifyingly strong sorcerer. The naga already built a kingdom, and all who were part of his downfall should fear for his wrath even after millennia. Jack wanted to see it. He wants to follow the man and soak up his glory.

“So another kingdom. That’s your goal?” Jack hides his feelings as best he can. “Pretty up-there by a homeless penniless beaten hungry, and probably lost, snake.” 

“You forgot ‘hunted down.’” Chase tries not to let his already hurt pride suffer too much at those words.

“Oh yeah, why are you being hunted down?” Jack was really curious about that. “I have been with you since you woke up, so what could you have done? Or is it about the knife?”

Chase looks around for any unwanted listeners. “The moon from last night, the full blue moon, do you know how often it graces the sky?”

“Every thousand years. She is the start of a new era, but she also represents unforgiveness.” Jack always found strange how something can mean ‘a new start’ while simultaneously saying ‘you are not forgiven,’ “What that has to do with the bounty hunters?” Jack tries to reach a conclusion on his own, “slash heroes?” 

“The presence of the blue moon is use to form long-lasting contracts or spell-”

“The night you fell into a slumber, one thousand years ago, was the last full blue moon!” Jack interrupts, feeling rather smart.

“No.” Chase looks at Jack’s smile fall. “Not even close.” He laughs. 

“It made sense!” Jack pouts and tries to come with the right answer. “The knife was forged during the blue moon!” He points at Chase, who considers it.

“I don’t know when the knife was made,” Chase allows, “or who made it.” Not much at all, really. “But I have a theory of what it does.”

“What?”

“It eats magic.” 

“How? And how is that related to why you are being hunted?” Jack stops to pull the knife out of the bag and then hurries to catch up with Chase. Only to almost trip over Chase’s tail. “Hey! Why do you stop?” 

The pair had made it past the village and the surrounding forest, and while in the last hour the trees had been very spaced between each other, it was not like what they saw in front of them. 

There were no trees, hills, or large rocks, just dead grass and dried sedges, a real prairie. 

Chase curses under his breath and massages the bridge of his nose. 

Unlike most environments, prairies offer no camouflage for creatures more substantial than two feet. There is nothing to hide behind or other large animals to track accidentally. A prairie is a long flat land that goes for miles. 

Jack uses his hand to shield his eyes and looks as far as he can. 

“It’s a few days at least.” Chase sighs out.

“In our best days, maybe, if travel for days non-stop -eat on the road and minimal sleep.” Jack naturally switches to his old job. “But you are injured, we both are tired, it’s getting cold, and the moonlight will stop me. -this is more than a few days.” 

“And I am being hunted.” Chase looks at Jack, even outside the desert, his experience is valuable. Still, Jack didn’t sign up to be part of what comes. “If you want to part ways now before the heroes eventually find me, this is the time.”

“What?” Jack snaps out of his thoughts. “Leave? Are you ditching me in the middle of nowhere?!” Jack screams the last words. 

“...I should have mentioned this a few hours ago.” Chase agrees, but it hasn’t been that long. Plus, he likes the company. 

“That’s not the point,” Jack stomps his foot and walks past the naga in anger, then back. “I’m not dead weight to ditch whenever things get tough.” Then he walks away again, not wanting to face Chase or hear an argument against him.

“I did not mean to insinuate you were.” Chase could see rage climb on Jack’s spine like an angered cat. The naga advances closer to Jack, but the other moves further ahead. “But being followed is immediate and imminent danger instead of a possibility of future danger. You don’t have to continue.” Chase stops, and his tone changes to something more familiar, “if you want to, I would be happy to continue traveling with you.”

“I do want to!” Jack’s anger melts away in seconds. Chase contemplates how easy it is to read Jack. “Stuff changed, but I still want to travel with you. And we agreed you don’t get to change your mind about that.” Jack was slowing down the inevitable, soon Chase will face an obstacle too big for Jack to keep up, and he will be left behind. But not today.

“Of course,” Chase was surprised again by the loyalty he didn’t expect to find. Also, relief, Jack has been an invaluable asset and a never-ending engaging conversation. “I prefer it that way.” 

“Then stop trying to ditch me!” Jack felt like he was revisiting an old memory.

“I will stop, but I will also point out that last time you attended to ditch me.” Chase looks at the one dirt path that goes past the view line, and all the dead grass around them. 

“That was different,” Jack remembers offering an out to Chase after coming clean about how the moon affects him. 

Chase hums but decides not to ask Jack to elaborate on how it is different. 

“So guide, where to?” The naga prefers to keep his priorities clear. Right now, his top priority is to put space between the hunters and them.

Jack was almost taken back by the question. He has experience as a guide, but in a territory, he had time to get to know, this land was as new to Jack as it’s to Chase. 

Also-

“Why are the heroes hunting you?” Jack picks up where they derail from their conversation. 

“I have my theories; they might be hunting the knife, not me, and somehow know I am the last holder of it. It’s unlikely but possible.”

“What is more likely then?” Jack remembers the day before the blue moon when the night buzzed loud with magic, and the knife was a void of silence. 

“The knife was a prison tailor to hold me in place, but it had an expiration date. They were looking for me, the prisoner, to either re-establish the prison or kill me and retrieved the knife. -if the knife still works at all.” 

“The works with the timeline.” Jack closes his eyes and remembers the calling he heard in the desert before he found Chase. “The heroes said they were looking for something at the heart of the desert. Not someone.” He assumed the magic was fading but if instead, was escaping a prison. 

“Well, they could not just say they were going to kill me. Surely they might have even thought me dead.” Chase replays with ease.

“If they thought you dead -which would make sense, then why bother checking on you? Or why check on you at all?”

“They did the long trip, and continued to look for me because they were assigned to.” Chase narrows his eyes at the black smoke, coloring the pale blue sky. “Someone who knew of me.” He can see new questions forming on Jack’s mouth, but there is no time for them yet. “Jack, what direction should we continue?” 

“Who could still- um?” Jack was taken back by the sudden change of topics, but he supposes that Chase has said enough for him to decide to leave or to stay. And both know that Jack isn’t leaving. “What path?” The elf rubs his chin and looks at the single dirt road. They had to concentrate on the problem at hand. “What can you smell?” He tilts his head up. 

“Smoke.” Chase tastes the air, and then he tastes it again. “Mold, wet dirt, goats,” He needs to go further, “salt?” 

“Salt?” 

“Salt that blends with the air and dirt.”

“The ocean, what way?” Jack hoped it would be the dirt path.

“West.” Chase points at the prairie. “Is going to the ocean a good idea? We will be cornered.”

“Of course it is into the prairie, and yeah, there is a villa by the ocean and lots of ports with huge ships. Big enough to hold you.” Jack tries to do some mental math on how long the trip would be. 

“I am not getting into a ship.” Chase drew a line with his arm, and Jack hurried to explain. 

“You are not. But, it is good to offer the possibility of multiple paths.”

“Make them believe I could go in a ship and force them to split up. Jack, I am immensely pleased that you are more than a pretty face.” Chase lets a content chuckle. 

“I -yes.” Jack felt his face heat up. It was too much to be called pretty and smart at once, especially by Chase. Jack clears his throat with a cough. “If these guys are top tier professionals, then we are gonna need to move fast. And by that, I mean, we should go back a few steps and take a nap under a tree.” 

“I can go long periods without sleep.”

“Amazing,” Jack said dryly but still had a little smile curving at the edge of his mouth, “but I don’t. And you are hurt. Let’s rest for a few hours, and when we are ready to leave, we will travel day and night. I’ll use our bedding as a parasol.”

Chase agrees after a moment of consideration. 

They both march to the closest tree and rest one last time before picking up their path again.

Chase rests on the still fresh grass and silently chews on dried deer meat while Jack fixed himself under the shade to sleep. 

As soon as Jack closed his eyes, he fell asleep, and it felt like no time when Chase shook him awake. 

The sun was much lower than when Jack lay down, and the naga shoved some meat on his mouth. Jack chews the food and rubs the sleep out of his eye.

“How long have I slept?”

“A few hours.” Chase stood up and waited for Jack. The elf noticed the thick bedding placed over him like a blanket. It wasn’t too cold yet, but surely the temperature will decrease at night. “Ready?” 

“Ready.” Jack picks their bags, and both continue their journey. 

The day was half gone when they started to move into the prairie. 

The grass was both dead and wet, and it clung cold against their clothes and skin. The sunlight offered little warmth that was almost entirely overshadowed by the wind. 

The pair talk on the way. Jack asks about where Chase traveled to, and Chase asks about the sea. 

Hour by hour, the sun drags himself lower in the sky, and Chase tells Jack how he was only interested in finding trading routes for the desert, so he never ventured very far. Jack told Chase that his clan moves around in a circular path, always near bodies of water. 

Chase admits under the orange light of the sunset that he has never seen the ocean. 

“Aren’t you scared of deep water? It doesn’t get deeper than the ocean.” 

“I said see, not swim in.” Chase scuffs.

While the ocean was far and land paths more practical, it was still odd that Chase neglected sea trading.

The moon shines bright on the sky, and a cold breeze sweeps the dead grass. Jack uses the blankets to cover himself and holds the knife in one hand; once again, it makes the buzzing of the magic quiet down. Chase noticed, but he said nothing. Instead, he explains that he was planning on looking into seaport export and import after he has established a trading route and a good relationship with the neighboring Echodour kingdom. 

“How long would that have been?” Jack snuggles against his blanket, chasing for warmth that the fabric couldn’t offer.

“I do not know,” Chase considers, “I left for the desert when I was twenty-something-”

“Stars, you were young.” Jack blinks, adding another incredible Chase fact to an ever-growing list. 

“I was,” Chase agrees after a pause, as he has just realized that maybe he was too young at the time to take on such consuming ambition. “I was 157 when I fell into slumber.” 

“That’s not far from me!” Elves live a long time, and they have a stretch definition of life itself. Jack, at one hundred years old, had just become an adult, so to him, Chase had done most of his work as a child. 

“I supposed, though, if you count the time I was asleep, I’m 1007 years old.” Naga has considered themself independent the moment they leave their nest, and an adult the day they kill the last sibling in their clutch. “Approximately.”

The wind picks up all humidity in the air and forms a thick fog. Chase shivers and tries to concentrate on Jack’s presence. Jack, blind in the dark, walks carefully to Chase to guide himself.

“I never got to establish the trading route.” There is still more prairie than the eye can see left to travel, and Chase underestimated the cold. 

“You went to war for that route, the Valley war?” Jack looks up, but he can only see the outline of his companion. 

“I bluffed when I told Huā Han that I would go to war for the space between two twin valleys. I thought that the land was so small that she would give in and sell it to me. I have no idea then that I would be entering into a 40-year war that will drain me of most resources.” Just thinking about it was giving Chase a headache. The armies fees, the food, the diplomacy, and, for the heat of his heart, the stupid ceremonies. The end of the war marked Chase’s acceptance to other kingdoms as a king. He would have enjoyed it more and care less about clean up if he knew how short-lived would his victory be. 

“Why do people keep saying that the Valley war killed all nagas?”

“Huā Han called herself the queen of nagas. People believe she was the last female, she wasn’t, and when she died at the end of the war, everyone assumed the species would die with her.” 

“How did you know she wasn’t?” Jack asked, and when no answer came, he continued to try to scare Chase. He had the odd feeling that Chase had never met a naga and not killed them. “For all you know, she was the last female.” 

“I just remember you can’t see,” Chase filled in the silence he made,” I am laughing at what you said. I am sure there are more nagas, just like I know there will forever be magic to flow between the cycles.” 

Jack rolls his eyes and laughs a little too. 

“That sure.” 

The sun breaks the dark during the coldest moments of the night. The pair don’t stop or slow down their steady-paced, but they both sigh at the little warm the sun brings. Soon vapor lifts from the grass, and the moon leaves the sky. 

Jack told Chase his favorite play from start to finish, including all character dialogues with different voices. There was a bit of stuttering as Jack forgot certain translations for Elvish. Chase didn’t bother to tell him that he knew enough Elvish to understand it in either language. They shared a meal in the way. 

The day flies through them, and soon is night again. The highlight of the day was a goat sighting. 

When the day breaks a second time, the pair look for shelter, but making camp in the cold, wet grass won’t do any good. So they keep moving in hopes of a better campsite. 

By day three, food was running low, but at least the bags were lighter. 

By day four, Jack collapsed on Chase’s tail as the naga continued to move with an uninterrupted pace. The cold and exhaustion of the trip were more bearable when shared by two. 

By day five, at night, Chase stops dead in the night. Jack takes a step forward and feels his feet sink into nothing.

“Shit!” Jack cries as Chase pulls him back from falling. 

“There is a cliff ahead.”

“There Is A Cliff! Why don’t you tell me these things?!” Jack was breathless. Also tired, he had been taking small naps on Chase’s tail, but that did little to replenish his body and mind. “How big?” 

“...big.” Chase paid no attention to Jack’s tone. He knows elves can’t go without sleep as long as nagas can. “We need to stop for the night.” 

“Can we go around it?” Jack is guided to a different area, not less cold or wet, but at least further from the cliff.

“It doesn’t look like it.” Chase curls himself and places Jack in the middle of the tight coils so he won’t be touching the wet surfaces. 

Both hold each other close, searching for heat to fight off the cold of the night, and they fall asleep quicker than morning comes.

Day sixth was warmer than any other day. The bright sunlight exposed the impressive cliff. It looked like the prairie had been split in two, one half was up near the sun, and the other miles down a long, long fall. The pair felt dizzy just looking straight down; the dead grass had blended into a single dark green blanket and a few patches of brown dirt. Looking straight ahead, but the prairie they could see a blue line meet the sky in the horizon; it was the ocean. Their excitement was extinguished in a long way to go. 

Jack looks to the side of the cliff. It seems to go on forever. 

“What side should we take?” Jack to each side and counts how long they can stretch their last meal. Of course, they could take a break and figure out how to get a goat, and Chase could use his magic to start a fire even on the wet ground (?). 

“Down.” Chase looks behind them, and Jack turns to look at the dooming dark smoke cloud many days behind them. 

They had done good at putting almost two weeks of distance on foot in less than a week, but their head start stops now. 

The dark cloud wasn’t connected to the ground anymore, and fluffy grey vapor surrounded the area. 

“The fire is contained.” Jack breaths out and looks back down at the long fall. 

“If they follow here, only the harpy will be able to reach us. We have more chances of taking them one at the time. The others will have to climb down at their own time. And if they chose to stick together, we still get to keep moving.” 

“That’s if we make it down by time,” Jack kneels and feels the void almost pull him in, “or alive.”

“It is our best option.” Chase shrugs, knowing he was right but not happy about it. Jack took a few more moments before agreeing. 

“Staying on this side makes us easy to find,” they stand out of the background like a sore thumb, “and I can see how they might not want to take this way,” Jack remembers that there are a minotaur and a human in the mix. 

Tired and hungry, Chase and Jack chose to eat most of their rations to regain some strength and condense their two bags into one. 

Jack ties a rope around his waist and Chase’s and pulls both knives to use as aids. Chase breaks small rocks and tries to make them slide on the side of the cliff to find the least steep path. They find a large enough rock poking out of the side of the wall that they can use as a stopping point, and without more time to rethink their choices, they go down.

“Just so you know,” Jack hangs on the edge of the cliff before digging his selenite blade into the dirt, it went in smoothly, and Jack wasn’t sure to be happy for his knife or worry for the resistance of the cliff, the other knife didn’t go in as easily, “I’m not a climber.”

“I will admit,” Chase looked at his claws dig into the side of the cliff, it was a dirt wall. “I am not one of those fancy climber snakes.” 

“What? Are you saying that your huge physique is not meant to dangling from stupid hellish heights!” Jack laughs and feels his stomach jump to his mouth when he puts his weight into the knives and his feet. One wrong step, and he is dead. The elf felt hot tears pushed by his thin bravado, wishing he was self-aware enough to get out when Chase offered to part ways. 

The naga chuckles at their little showmanship, he was equally nervous and amused. 

“I did practice climbing when I was young.” Chase looks up and feels with his tail for his next grip before using his claws to descend. He has never been scared of heights, but this is the first time he is high enough to know that he falls, he will surely die.

“Were you any good?” Jack closes his eyes tightly before reopening them to look down and find the next spot to sink his knives and place his trembling feet. 

“No,” Chase said abruptly, and Jack stopped to look at the man. Both had such a dreadful and pitiful look in their faces, tired for nearly a week of non-stop travel, after recent physically and emotionally exhausting experiences. And the weight of all was enough to send a sane person into hopelessness crying fit or hysterical laughter. The pair unconsciously chose the latter.

“No!” Jack laughs loudly and intensely. 

“No, I fell all the time!” Chase shakes his head and feels his way down. 

“So if you fall, you are taking me down. You are planning on killing me!” Jack accuses and moves a bit faster to keep up with Chase.

“Please! As if I need such a long laborious plan to kill you!” Chase has a mock-serious tone but is broken almost instantly with a new bark of laughter. “We are gonna die, Jack.” He lets out for the first time since he was forced into a slumber. When the spell took effect, he had a few hours of being immobile but awake on his body. He heard his second in command betray him in less than an hour. Then Chase thought he was going to be killed, immobilized on his bathtub. But he was wrong; now he was holding for dear life to a dirt wall to not fall to a fast anticlimactic dead.

“You are going to die! I survived everything! I’m a fucking cockroach.” Anger and exhilaration mix into pure energy and Jack climbs faster. He was concentrated only on his next step and not on the long fall under his feet.

“Pfff!” Chase makes a sound he hasn’t since he was a child. “You are more scared than-” Chase couldn’t think of a comparison.

“You are more scared than I am!” Jack interrupts. 

Before Chase could respond, he felt the flat surface of a large rock. He looks down to find they reach their first stop and barely controls himself from not jumping to it. Chase carefully descends to it and extends his arms for Jack to jump.

“Jack!”

The elf jumps immediately. They hug tightly as both feel a shiver of fear and relief flow through them. They thanked whichever divine force had kept them safe and looked up to see the distance they traveled. 

“That wasn’t bad at all.” Jack wipes snot and sweat from his face. 

“Good,” Chase takes a few stabilizing breaths, “because we have to do it again.” 

They look at the sharp fall under them. 

Jack tests the rope around his waist, and Chase examines the side of the cliff for the least steep path. The pair find another large rock as the next stopping point and prepare to keep climbing down. Before they restart, they spot a goat balancing in the smallest of rocks looking directly at them, as if they were an oddity. 

“You think it’s mocking us?” Jack digs his knives into the dirt wall and begins his descent. 

The goat jumps with ease from one small rock to another, moving up and down before it keeps going on it’s way.

“It is definitely mocking us.” Chase feels a bit more comfortable climbing, but his muscles were soon to tire from overuse.

Jack snorts at themselves. While their current situation was comically hopeless, he found the tasks not as dreadful. The pair could borrow each other’s strength and lighten any situation with a bit of humor. The elf understood why Chase has been so adamant about traveling accompanied, it made everything less scary, and, even, enjoyable. 

“Oh, to be a goat in this very out of place cliff!” Jack recites with his barn voice. 

“To be anywhere other than this damn cliff.” Chase smiles happily to have a distraction. But he thinks of that. “I never saw a cliff in this area.” It had been a while, and he didn’t pay much attention to terrains too far from his territory, but he would remember such an incredible cliff. 

“Maybe after?” Jack hums and continues to concentrate on his task. 

“The surroundings look healthy; this shift of earth must have occurred at least a thousand years ago.”

“It’s odd.” Jack agrees, this cliff must have been caused by a huge earthquake. But there are no large rocks or irregular cracks, just a perfectly clean separation. “An earthquake that bad should have affected other areas nearby,” Jack stops to rest, he was so tired, but there was still a long way to go, “but it looks like only this part of the prairie was disturbed.”

“The walls too,” Chase sinks his claws in the dirt and tries not to wince at the pain. Chase’s claws were not meant for digging, and the constant abuse had left his fingers tender and bruised, “they are too perfect with very few irregularities.” 

Chase continues down and unknowingly pulls Jack’s rope, destabilizing him. Jack screams as he is yanked out of place. He falls, pulling Chase with him. The naga tries to hold on, his tail desperately searches for something to grip, and he digs his nails until he feels they are about to snap. But he still falls down. 

Jack falls first on the larger rocks and rolls over, barely avoiding being crushed by Chase falling a second after, who still struggles not to be pulled down by the weight of his tail.

Jack puts his hands over his chest, trying to reclaim the air that was knocked out of his lungs, and Chase tries to find a place to settle in the tiny area. 

“Jack?” Chase looks at the elf still on the floor.

“I’m okay.” Jack breaths out and feel his heart hammer against his chest. “I’m okay.” 

“We need to stop here for today.” Chase declares when he sees Jack’s eyes still regaining focus. 

“There is still a lot of the day left.” Jack sits up and immediately is overwhelmed by vertigo. He hit his head in the fall. “I’m okay,” Jack repeats to himself as he forces himself to look up. They had covered quite a distance. “Not so bad, eh?” He turns to Chase with a lopsided smile, but the man doesn’t share his optimism. 

“There is still a long way to go.” Chase points down with his chin, and Jack turns carefully to look down. It looked exactly like it did from the top, it was like they didn’t move at all. 

“Fuck!” Jack falls back and lets the turns in his brain take him for a spin. “We are so fucked.” 

“Let’s rest and come with a plan.” The naga wraps himself around the rock, but it takes an active effort to hold.

“Mmm.” Was all Jack could say.

They sat in silence looking up to the pale blue sky, the warmth of the day was slipping away and cold creeps on every corner.

Chase ends up using all of the space, and Jack lays over the coils of scales. The scales were smooth and soft to the touch, but oh so cold. Jack claims over until he is almost over Chase. The human skin was warm, more than warm, it was hot.

“Are you running a fever?” Jack touches Chase’s arm and then the side of his face. The naga lets his face rest in the light touch and closes his eyes.

“Unlikely, my temperature usually matches my environment.”

“I have slept with you,” Jack frowns, “I know you are warm even when the night is cold.”

“No, you are warm, I simply take your warm until I am warm myself.” 

“Ah,” Jack couldn’t help to be disappointed, “that explains all the cuddles.” 

“I supposed,” Chase pulls Jack closer, not caring for his injuries, which he has long neglected, and presses his cheek against Jack’s, “you make a great sun rock.” 

“I’m a moon elf.” Jack corrects and finds his fingers naturally caressing Chase’s black hair. 

They both lay peacefully, taking the last sunshine before a cloud covers the sky. 

Chase hears the earth tremble on his ear. He concentrates on the vibrations, and it sounds like the earth is being pulled at part. It sounds like rocks are being plucked out of the ground like a flower. Whatever it is, it’s strong, fast, and it’s coming their way. It was magic, strong unexpected earth magic. 

“Jack?” Chase shifts and presses his ear flat against the wall. Chase didn’t consider that the hunters could be magic users. Now, he has to consider the fact that all of them might be magic users. 

“Mm?” Jack wakes up to a killer headache. “It hasn’t been a day… Chase?” 

“We have to move now.” Chase picks their bag and throws it down. 

“What? Chase?!” Jack looks at all their possessions disappear in a single motion. “That was full of medicine! Even if we don’t use it all of it, we could have sold that!” 

“They are moving fast and will catch up to us by the end of the day.” Chase pulls Jack close and takes the selenite knife to help himself climb down. 

“No, there is no fucking way.” Jack’s blood turns cold. How could the hunters catch up to them so quickly? Jack tries to speak, but he finds himself falling. He hugs Chase, screaming on the top of his lungs, and Chase uses the knife to dig into the dirt wall and slow down their descent. As soon as they slow down their fall, Chase uses his tail to grip the wall. Jack nails dig into Chase’s skin and look up to see the huge distance they quickly travel. 

“They are using magic, earth magic,” Chase explains and prepares to jump again, “if they find us stuck here, we won’t stand a chance.” He jumps again. Even if it is useless to attempt to escape, Chase can’t just do nothing. 

Jack doesn’t scream the second time, his trait hurts, and the cold cuts his cheeks and rumbles on his ears. Jack hugs Chase tightly, closes his eyes, and fills the wind as they fall. When Chase digs the knife on the dirt, small rocks fall over the pair, and his whole body trembles with the sheer strength it takes to stop. 

Chase screams as the friction against the wall nearly pulls his scales from his body. Old cuts are pulled opened, and new ones bleed over the dirt. 

The naga breathes heavily and looks up to find a goat not far from there they are pinned to. It’s licking a bloodstain on the wall.

They continued their new method without a break, while the top of the cliff looks further and further away, the ground doesn’t look any closer. 

The sun was low in the sky. Jack was about to suggest for Chase to rest, to find a place to lay down again and rest, because if he keeps going-

A shadow passes over them. 

“No Fucking Way,” Jack looks at the harpy wearing a red vest and circling their location. 

Chase continues his mission to find the ground. His vision is burning, his fingers are a bloody mess, and the clod is stuck on his sweaty body.

High over the cliff, the outline of the other hunters peeks over. 

“Jack, do you have enough magic for a spell?” Chase asks, feeling the handle of the knife slip from his hand.

“Just one. What -what are you thinking?” Jack couldn’t believe it. They traveled non-stop for days, how could these hunters reach them so quickly—magic, but what sort of magic took all of them here. 

“A protection spell,” Chase was looking at a goat near them, it was the same goat from the very beginning. He keeps seeing the same damn goat; Chase has a theory. 

“I -” The words die on his throat. Jack looks at the hunters jump from the top of the cliff down. They will meet them in no time, and Jack was frozen in fear. 

The minotaur jumps down, and the earth bends to form a floor before he can fall. He runs down, rocks of all shapes and sizes stick out of the wall creating a path on the seemingly never-ending cliff. He could see the other two not far behind, and the woman had her sword drawn out.

Chase uses all the force he has left to push himself out of the wall. As he expects, a rock sticks out, trying to catch him, but it’s too late. The harpy dives in, aiming his sharp talons at Chase. 

“Jack! Protection spell!” They were falling. “Jack!”

“ _ Aer Bulla!” _ Jack screams louder than his heartbeats on his ears. A light engulfs the pair and shields them. 

The harpy magically disappeared, and Jack felt something crash against his shield. 

Crunch after crunch, branches break on their way down, Jack’s spell gives in, but by then, most of the fall has been absorbed by smaller obstacles. 

Both fall face first in a bed of dead leaves, hurt but alive. 

They were under a group of trees at the feet of a cliff. They could see up, it wasn’t nearly as high as they thought, and see the group of heroes looking for them. Jack stands up on his shaking legs, and they carry him a few steps before he falls again and pukes under a tree. Chase struggles to stand up, having suffered most of the damage in their attempt to climb down the cliff. 

“A magic barrier?” Jack wipes his mouth and looks at the wasted meal. “Why here? Whose?”

“You can’t tell?” Chase tilts his head. “You had lived under this magic for so long, Jack, in the desert and later at the cave.” 

“Earth magic?” Jack wasn’t good at identifying magic unless it really screamed it’s typed.

“No, Jack, this is naga magic,” Chase looks at his surroundings, “we are in naga territory.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took so long.  
> I just finished my finals, T-T  
> Anyways, I just want to point out, cause I feel like Chase is not usually as I write him, that this Chase is supposed to be younger without a lot of the experience the Chase on the show has.  
> And this is cause I wanted to do a little spin. On the show, lots of Heylin characters got to be put away for 1000 years and Chase got to use that time to build his whole persona. I want to play with the opposite, Chase was put away for ~1000, and everyone else could use that time.


	10. Not your enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Jack and Chase finally catch a break, but there is a small twist. They get to share more time together and Chase is beginning to trust Jack. And Jack has weird taste when it comes to men.  
> Oh, Chase's backstory is unlocked!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took so long, and I'm not sure why. But I like it.  
> P.s. lots of exposition towards the end.

Chapter 10

**Not your enemy**

The harpy lands gracefully just a few meters from the pair. 

Jack tightened his grip in both knives, not that he would be much good in a fight.

Chase wipes sweat from his face only to smirch blood on him, he didn’t notice he was still bleeding. If he has to fight right now, he will die. 

The harpy squinted his eyes like he had problems seeing them in the short distance, he took one step towards them and then turned in another direction. 

Chase and Jack look at each other in confusion as the harpy walks away from them. He is quiet, trying to conceal his presence, which is challenging as he grows frustrated. 

He groans something in a different language and takes flight. 

“He didn’t cross the barrier?” Jack laughs, falling back on the floor but still holding the knives. Even if they lost the hunters, for now, they would find them again. But that wasn’t the problem now. “Chase?” Jack asks, but Chase doesn’t even turn to look at him. “Does the other naga knows-”

“Yes.” Chase’s eyes were tired, but he could see people approaching them. 

The wind carried the essence of naga magic, casually enveloping everything. The soil pumped the magic, like a heart feeding a body; it warmed the ground enough to break the cold weather and let a thin forest grow. The trees feed on it and lazily dance to the wind. And all of it screamed to Chase. You _ shouldn’t be here _ . Every instinct of his body shot to fight or run, and do it now. 

But the decision had been taken out of his hands, they had already been found.

The group of people makes their way to them. It was five people, three men, and two women. All carried weapons, but only two knew how to carry them. 

Jack twitches as he sees they are outnumbered.

“Chase-” The elf felt nauseous. 

“Sh. Don’t talk.” Chase whispers. “These are part of the naga’s harem, they won’t attack.” 

As the group moved into their zone, the pair noticed something else, they were all nymphs. They share one quick look, nymphs are not fighters, they usually hold territory protected by some deity. They are peaceful creatures that prefer no conflict.

“Salutations!” One said way too cherry. He holds an obviously strained smile and clears his throat when he understands there won’t be a response. The nymph switches the lance he carries from one hand to another, “I’m Dandy,” Dandy looks stressed, but not particularly afraid, “I’m the head consort of Lady Eka. I’m here to welcome you and escort you to the main estate.” 

“Welcome us?” Jack stands up and his whole world goes sideways. Everyone takes a reflective step towards Jack, then a cautious one. “I’m fine,” Jack says from the floor and pushes himself up.

“Lady Eka,” Chase frowns to himself. While fighting now would result in his death, he is still offended that Lady Eka has not shown up to fight him immediately, “I’m not familiar with the name.” Chase moves closer, the nymphs hug their weapons closer, “you lead the way.” Chase kept his tone light. Maybe he can make time to formulate a plan. 

Dandy looks back at Jack before advancing, “Should we send for a horse?”

“He is fine, aren’t you Jack?” Chase moves ahead following the scent of the magic. 

Jack takes a few shaky steps and notices all the nymphs looking at him. “Peachy.” 

That was enough to get them walking. 

Thankfully the building was not far. It was three large mansions, the middle one being the largest one, and the other two were more circular than rectangular, like two crescent moons holding the main mansion safe. 

Chase attempted to get information out of Dandy, but the man was used to interrogations and stayed cordial without giving anything away. Plus, the distance was short and there was not much to do than to follow the group. 

They passed the thin forest, the yard with still green but wilting grass, and stopped at the entrance of the main building. The mansions were simple in design, but there was something about it that spelled elegance and power. The tall deep orange walls, stained glass windows, and impressive woodwork in every frame of the home. It spoke of class beyond the pure flashing of wealth. Something Chase barely learned, sadly, after building his palace. 

The women of the group opened the grand doors, they were big even by Chase’s standards, and a warm soothing air flushed out. It smells like fire and oranges. 

The inside of the mansion could be described with a simple word, vast. The ceiling was so tall, a second-floor could have been built, every door frame was wide enough to fit several horses through, and the decorations, while plain, were huge. Large vine plants with cascading lush green leaves from every corner of the ceiling, colorful tapestry in the walls depicting different nagas large enough for Chase to suspect they were life-size, chandeliers and furniture that looked big and sturdy enough to withstand Chase. 

Dandy walks ahead and the rest follow.

The house smells like fire, old books, clay, and orange peels, and Chase keeps being amazed and unsettled by how big everything is. Big home, means big naga.

Chase was injured and tired, his size and fighting experience were his only advantages. 

One by one, the nymphs leave them, until only Dandy is left.

“Here.” Dandy clears his throat, a bit surprised that Chase stopped asking questions. But then again, either of the men looks like they are up to instigate anything. 

“Here.” Chase looks at the door and feels his heart drop. Until this moment he didn’t consider that there might be a bigger naga than he is. 

Dandy opens the door to reveal a bedroom. 

He walks inside and Chase and Jack look at each other; a bedroom? Were they meeting Lady Eka in her chambers?

No, if she was here Chase should be able to sense her.

“Here?” Jack walks in first. The room, like the rest of the mansion, was huge. There was a large bed covered in puffy pillows, a vanity, and next to three tall full-body mirrors, a chimney packed with firewood. Chase noticed their bag was sitting on top of a dresser. Dandy opened another set of doors in the room to show a bathroom. The bathroom was nearly empty, except for an empty bathtub, or a small pool, in the middle of the room and fountain with running water on the back wall. There was a single shelf against the sidewall and another door.

“Yes, if you two wish to take a bath,” Dandy goes near the fountain and pulls one of the many decorative ropes. When he pulls the rope, a half-cut wooden tube extending forward and down, one end connected to the fountain, and the other directs the water to fill the bathtub, “just pull once for water, and twice for it to go back. There are utilities on the shelf, feel free to help yourself.” Dandy expected some words of gratitude or astonishment, but the pair just gave him blank looks in return. “Okay, I’ll go check with Lady Eka. But please make yourselves comfortable.”

There was no point waiting for an answer. 

Dandy bows and leaves with a speedy step.

Chase and Jack wait until they hear both doors shut, then they look at each other.

The only sound was the soft sound of running water.

“Ah, -I have a concussion,” Jack licks his lips and looks around the room, “so this could be a very vivid dream?” Jack drops the knives he has been carrying this whole time, the nymphs didn’t even bother to take their weapons away. 

“It’s not a dream.” Chase looks at the selenite knife, would it still be sharp enough to use in a fight? “We are in another naga’s territory, but also were in a guest room.” Chase massages the bridge of his nose, why were they in a guest room? 

“Yeah, I don’t know. I’m not a naga, but I thought that she would go to you and,” Jack makes some hand motions that Chase thinks might mean ‘fight.”

“Yes, and it is incredibly rude of her not to come to greet me in person and fight me immediately.” 

“...you will die if you fight her right now. No magic, injured -oh, and, I think she might be very very big. Chase-” 

“It’s still rude. Even if I were to die in the next fight, I deserve respect and her full attention.” Chase crosses his arms, in all history of nagas, no one has ever made him wait for a fight. 

“If she comes now, you die. We established that, right?” Jack could not believe that Chase was actually mad at not being quickly fought and killed. “Let’s take advantage of this,” Jack pulls a rope and looks at the water, “hopefully we can rest and leave before she comes. That Dandy guy said something about horses, maybe we can steal-”

“That won’t work,” Chase hears his voice echo in the room. “Jack, nagas had complete control of their territory and every creature in it.” The naga closes his eyes and tries to think of what to do, but the only solution is to fight Eka and win.

Jack considers saying something, but his brain is no longer cooperating. And he can see stress build in Chase’s knitted brows, the naga can’t come up with a plan either.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Jack begins pulling his shirt off. It was harder since he was wearing all four shirts he owns to combat the weather, “I hope the water is warm.” Jack throws his clothes away and kicks his boots out, he ignores the pain of his blisters and the dried blood he is leaving on the floor. 

“Jack,” Chase sighs a long list of frustrations, but Jack is far off kicking the last sleeve of his pants and climbing the bathtub, “wait for me.”

He has no idea why they are in a guest room with a master bathroom instead of meeting Lady Eka for a battle to the death. But he could use a bath, and not taking a bath will not help his situation. 

“Oh?” Jack could spread all his limbs and still not touch the side of the bathtub! “Chase, you gotta come! The water is warm!” Water splashes around him as the pool fills and the sound of the make-shift waterfall is calming. 

Chase carefully crawls inside the bathtub, water spills out in loud waves, they clash against the tile walls and Jack is pushed under the water spray. The porcelain of the pool was magically heated and it relaxed aching muscles. The water washes over all the muck their bodies had been collecting. 

Jack steps out of the tiny waterfall, looking pleased. Chase curls almost all of his tail inside.

They stay in quiet tired silence. Jack massages his hands, clammy from gripping the knives for so long, and relief to be off his feet. Chase peels bandages and looks after his wounds, thankfully most are doing good, but one hasn’t healed at all. Chase carefully touches the still sensitive skin, thankfully, it doesn’t look infected. He hangs his head back, his back supported by the hot smooth porcelain, and closes his eyes. 

“If we don’t die, I really want to ask her about her architect.” Chase moves so the water will hit his tail, and practically melts at the sensation. 

“Then, wouldn’t she be dead?” Jack muses with no real thought behind his word, his brain is so tired and the water hugs his skin like a blanket.

“Well, I can’t ask her if I am dead!” Chase laughs, feeling a bit drunk. He could fall asleep right here, but there is a deep ever-present panic that won’t let him.

“We are not going to die!” Jack moves towards the spay, he tries to push Chase out of the way, but the naga won’t share the waterfall. The elf sits over the tail taking over the spot. He expected Chase to push him off, but the naga just looked at him curiously. Maybe because of what he just said. “I think that if she wanted us dead, she would start our’ welcome committee’ with actual fighters.” Jack lets the water hit his back and he enjoys the pressure. “Or come to herself. Sincerely, how busy can she be that another naga appearing doesn’t immediately become her first priority?!”

“I thought so too.” Chase admits, looking how pretty the water slides over Jack’s naked body, “I consider that maybe she won’t fight me until I am more of a challenge.” 

“Is that something nagas do?” Jack turns to better face Chase.

“No. It’s not a custom. But I could see how it would be a pity fighting me in such a weakened state. However, if that’s the case, she is an idiot.” Chase usually avoids staring, it feels rude to look when Jack is not his, but the elf has never been shy. And any person with a deadline should enjoy every last bit of pleasure the world allows.

“She doesn’t strike me as an idiot.” Jack hasn’t met her. But he is seeing her home, a reflection of her. The mansion is a well-thought design, uncluttered, and covered in naga centric art. 

Jack straightens his back and lets the current push his hair down. He feels the water hit his ears, kindly caressing his sunburn skin. The sound of water is relaxing and familiar in a good way, the elf finds himself almost falling asleep under the stream.

Jack stretches and looks from the corner of his eye to his silent companion. Before Jack could call him Chase answer.

“I got distracted.” Chase golden eyes were different, the cat-like pupils were rounder. “Jack, stay close to me but not too close. If I lose the fight, you might convince her to let you stay as part of the harem.” 

Jack is a moon elf, that alone would be enough for any naga to accept him into their harem. It helps that Jack is pretty. The water plays with his hair, and the elf keeps tucking the loose strands behind his ear. It strokes Jack’s white skin and all the light pink and grey scars that peek from the most unlikely of corners. It clunks to his tone body and the curves where skin meets, delicately dripping water drops like a marble statue under the rain. Jack’s tights shine, perfectly part to display his pink cock, exquisitely sitting on Chase’s tail like he belongs there. 

“Eh? I don’t, uh, with women.” Jack coughs out. The elf blushes after following Chase’s intense gaze. 

“You are an actor, she might ask you to put on a play.” Chase takes one last look at Jack’s thin happy trail before returning to Jack’s ruby eyes. Jack would call him out, but Chase had pretended not to notice Jack staring too many times. 

“That’s plan B.” Jack wasn’t sure where to put his hands, and Chase chuckled at the sudden coy behavior. “What is plan A?” 

“Work in progress.” Chase pulses his tail, pushing Jack out of the stream and into the pool. It was shallower due to Chase taking the bottom, but Jack didn’t mind the contact. “We should leave now. Try to get some rest before the fight.”

“Do you think Lady Eka is gonna call you in the middle of the night?” Jack waits for Chase to get out first and is surprised to reencounter how big the bathtub is.

“I see why not? She should come to see me as soon as she is available.” Chase leaves the warm water for the cold floor and shivers at the change. He helps Jack out of the tub, which would be a step too big on the slippery floor. “However, it would be better for me to fight when the sun is up.”

“Chase, since she wasn’t done that yet. Is there any possibility to reason with her?” The elf tiptoes his way back and forth to pull the rope and stop the water. 

“Reason how?” Chase seems taken back by the proposition.

“Uh? Reason with her so she doesn’t fight you and kill you. And then me? Or make me a porno actor?!” Jack hugs himself in a weak attempt to retain some warmth.

“Why? Why would she not kill me?” Chase asks slowly like he couldn’t wrap himself around the question. He opens the door and finds that the air outside the bathroom is colder. “She has the right.”

“I know, I think, I guess. But can you convince her to, uh, give up here right?” Jack was getting a headache from his wet hair. He ran towards the fireplace, the logs were actually dead grass compressed together, and they were stock but not lit. 

Chase sits next to Jack and picks fire rocks over the frame. After a few attempts, a spark flies and burns in place for a few minutes before growing. Fire devours the dried straw and in return gives light and warmth.

The orange light blinks over them. Chase’s green scales shine against the light and take in the heat from the fire. 

“You are asking me to beg for my life?” Chase looks at the red and orange glow on Jack’s white skin. “I prefer to die.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Jack scoffs, “I’m asking you to argue that you are worth more alive than dead. Also, I’m not dying cause you refuse to swallow your pride!”

“What use am I alive to Lady Eka?” Chase ignores the second part, he hasn’t begged in his life and he would never do so. “I don’t even know what she needs.” 

“Mm,” Jack tries to think, what could Lady Eka need? but his mind offers no answers or clues. He tilts his head up and looks at the tapestries, on each side of the bed, and another over the fire. The ones by the bed, one, depict a starry night with a crescent moon, and the second one, a morning sky with golden and silver clouds circling the radiant sun. The one over the fireplace was a naga with a dark red tail wrapped around two swords and a broken lance, she, like Chase, was naked and held a handful of arrows in each bleeding hand. Jack looks at her grey eyes which almost stare back, and her wild hair. She wasn’t pretty, but there was something beautiful about her. “Lots of art around but no windows.” Jack has noticed that while the halls had wide windows, the only exit for this room was the way they came from. 

Chase looks up and stares at the pattern for a long time. 

“I think that is St. Mary.” Chase shifts his tail and points with his tail the name embroidered at the bottom of the fabric. “A nada said to single-handedly stop a war near her territory. My parents told me of her tale, she looks more fearsome than I imagined.” There was amusement in Chase’s voice, and a touch of happiness.

“Do you think all the tapestries belong to legendary nagas?” Jack hums, his body was now too hot from the fire but he didn’t want to leave his spot.

“It could be, I wouldn’t know. Nagas don’t talk much to each other, families pass down information to the next generation. So myths and legends are kept within a clan, rarely it leaves said clan through a third party.” Chase puts his tail in front of Jack to shield him from the heat, and to warm up himself more.

“You guys really don’t interact.” Jack closes his eyes, his relaxed muscles sink into the familiar comfort of Chase’s tail, and the exhaustion wins over the quiet panic that boils on his chest. “How lonely it’s that?” It leaves Jack before he can stop his mouth, and he falls asleep before he can deal with any follow-up question or argument.

Chase looks at the sleeping elf and then to St. Mary. She was his favorite hero growing up, and today for the first time he sees an image of her. 

“At times,” Chase agrees and moves to the bed, Jack balanced in his tail. The bed was dense enough to be called hard, but the many soft pillows compensated for it. He uses the heavily knit blankets to cover themselves, and close to the sleeping elf, Chase falls in deep thought. 

He turns to look at the fire, the orange light dimmer and shorter, but still burning. Chase looked at the iron poker, it was solid metal, long enough to swing and short enough to not lose strength, and it was sharp; it will do nicely. Chase remembers seeing multiple fireplaces on their way to the guest room. 

Chase looks up to the ceiling, metal chains hold the chandelier in place, and the candles magically die one by one. It wasn’t overly designed or even fancy, it was a practical item. The naga closes his eyes and sighs. 

The mansion was solid, the possible weapon limited, and the opponent, Lady Eka, had full control of the field. His only card could be to call for the fight, attack first and really make it count. 

Chase frowns at his weak plan; attack first, indoor, using a fire poker. No, follow up. But he won’t come with better tonight, so he too falls asleep.

The pair sleep deeply. The moon leaves and the sun comes back, but in the dark and warm mystery of the room, it makes no difference. 

It wasn’t until an insistent knock at the door jolts both awake. 

While the bath before had soothed discomfort and injuries, the night had brought new ones. Jack whines, refusing to move, his feet pulsed and his arms ache like they were about to fall out. Chase felt the inside of his nails so tender and bruised, and a new discomfort by every moment. Everything adrenaline and the distraction of imminent death had covered was now the center of attention. 

The knock returns again with a vengeance, hammering at the door with a steady rhythm.

The pair sit up and look at the door. Before either could welcome the visitor, the door opens, Dandy walks in holding a heavy wooden tray. 

“Good morning!” His smile was strained and his arms trembled as he quickly made his way to the bed and lays the tray of food on the corner. “I hope you two are feeling hungry-”

“Famish!” Jack crawls forwards and picks a scone from the tray. 

“Yes, we have-” Dandy swallows, surprised by the very naked elf, he looks nervously between Chase and Jack, but neither seems to mind. So he clears his throat and keeps going. “There are fresh orange scones, black tea with orange peel, cured sheep meat, goat cheese and goat milk, wheat crackers, hard-boiled eggs, orange honey, and freshly chopped mint paste. Please enjoy these simple dishes.” Dandy offers a plate to Chase since Jack was already eating without reservation. 

“Thank you,” Chase slowly says but pointedly does not take the plate, even as his mouth waters at the smell of meat and honey, “though I would prefer the presence of Lady Eka. I am not a-” Jack interrupts by loudly thanking Dandy and giving Chase an angry side-eye.

“Yes, and she wishes she could come and fight you as tradition demands,” Dandy nods, “but, sadly, she is incredibly busy with a previously scheduled compromise on the west wing. She will meet you this evening, and she insists on offering a feast as an apology for making you wait.”

“A feast?” Chase raises an eyebrow. “That sounds rather unorthodox.”

“Well, it had already been a breach of practice, better to address it than to pretend it never happened. Even if it entitles more unusual behavior.”

Jack fits a second egg in his mouth and looks at the charged tension between them. 

“Tell, Lady Eka, if her busy schedule allows it, that I will look forward to our meal together.” Chase takes the plate and calmly picks crackers and meat, then prepares himself a cup of tea, “You may leave now.” 

Dandy takes a bow and before leaving he pulls two fabric packages out of his satchel. 

“Before I take my leave, the weather is taking a turn for the worse, here are some clothes. If you choose to accept the small gift from the Eka house.” The nymph didn’t wait for a response and walked out. 

Chase waits until the door closes and he hears the man walk away to start eating. He takes a handful of meat and Jack’s eyes widen in betrayal.

“I didn’t have any!” Jack complains between bread crumbs.

“I saw you eat all the boiled eggs, and I love eggs Jack.” Chase puts the meat on his plate and looks at Jack overzealously. 

“Ah! I-” Jack turns, he just ate that bowl of eggs on his own. He looks at the last haft and egg on his hand, then finishes it. “I was really hungry.” 

“I know, but this is my meat now.” Chase mocks the elf and Jack childishly sticks his tongue out. The interaction makes him feel a sweet tangy ache on his chest. 

They return their attention to the food, and in a matter of minutes they pick the tray clean. Jack steals sips of tea from Chase’s cup until the naga lets him keep it and he makes himself a new cup. Jack adds an obscene amount of honey to his tea. 

They stay in a tense panic after food. Chase mentioned that an apology dinner to an intruder was strange beyond reason. But Chase couldn’t oppose, he had to use every moment to come up with a plan. 

Jack pulls the string in one of the packages, the bigger one, and finds clothes his size. It was grey pants and shirt, both were a blend of cotton and wool, with a wide sleeve shape. There was also a heavy wool black cape to wear over. 

“Outerwear?” Jack tests the material, it was dense enough to withstand snow. “Chase I don’t think this lady is planning to kill me at all. I’m safe!” 

Chase looks at the cape and nods, it made sense, after all, to her, Jack is just another passing traveler. 

“Way to go cockroach,” Chase remembers Jack comparing himself the disgusting insect. He too pulls the string on his package and finds a simple long-sleeve shirt. A blue changshan with white trimming on the wide sleeves. 

“That’s a true blue.” Jack lets out a low whistle, calculating how much the fabric is worth. Color fabric is pricey, and that bright blue would fetch a few meals in a city. 

“It’s cerulean blue,” Chase presses his fingers against the silk, a sensation he almost forgot in his travels, “I favored this color when visiting the Echodour Kingdom.” 

“Oh, what a coincidence!” Jack didn’t think Chase would prefer such a happy color, he liked to imagine the naga in darker colors. 

Chase tilts his head and gives Jack one long look, waiting for the elf to catch up to his thought process, but he didn’t.

“It’s not a coincidence, Jack. Lady Eka is aware of my history, and she is letting me know. Why exactly does she want to get out of it?” Chase slitters off the bed and goes to the mirror, he puts the shirt over his chest. The size, shape, and color were right, it was not a replica but it was similar enough, yet it didn’t look good on him. The naive, overly enthusiastic smile Chase wore every time he had the opportunity to visit a kingdom and his long raven hair to complement the bright colors were gone. Instead, he has a calm pensive expression, a few scratches on his face, his short black hair with green tones, and his golden eyes, all belonging to an older version of himself. A version who would not choose a simple cerulean changshan, but a detailed design like the one Jasmine tailored for him. 

Jack appears in the mirror wearing the pants and trying on the shirt.

“Are you gonna wear it?” Jack goes under the surprisingly heavy fabric. 

“I am considering it, but I don’t think so.” Chase leaves the shirt on the vanity and moves out of the way so Jack might inspect his new clothes. He plays with wide sleeves, not used to the design but enjoying it. 

“I wonder if that is the real reason why we are in a guest room?” Jack twirls feeling the wind he produces fill the sleeves. “This is gonna be so bad for traveling.” He sounds disappointed. Chase moves to pull a ribbon within the sleeve, and it draws the fabric together until it is tight against Jack’s thin wrist. The elf is amazed and he plays with the ribbons from every cuff. 

Chase looks up again to St. Mary tapestry, it hangs proudly over the fireplace. Chase didn’t recognize any of the tapestries on the halls but all were a masterpiece, and in their excellence, all were the same. No real standout. 

“Jack, did any of the tapestries call your attention more than others?” Chase tries.

“Mm? Not really, all were big, and, I think, all were nagas. Like portraits in a museum.” Jack answers while walking closer to the mirror, he had just noticed the dark circles under his eyes. 

“This impressive establishment, and beautiful art. Yet, all we know of Lady Eka is her name.” Chase puts his hand on Jack’s shoulder and the elf jumps in surprise. 

“Ek!” Jack clears his throat. “What are you getting to?” He looks at Chase through the mirror. 

“Jack, what was the first thing you saw when you came across the ruins of my palace?” Chase leans close and delicately cups Jack’s chin and gives him a dangerously pleased smile.

Jack felt his breath caught in his mouth and every thought left him in a long second. Then he knits his eyebrows together and thinks. He saw the ruins, but that would be too obvious. The elf’s mind goes back to the desert, that day, like many now, in which he thought it would be his last. The air was boiling and the sands scorching, and a few feet ahead was a gold coin. The coin had been well preserved. One side had the profile of a beautiful man with long hair and, on the other side, a snake’s eye. There was writing on the side, an old language few knew how to read anymore. 

“King of Calido Divitiae, Chase Young.” Jack felt different saying it a second time. “There hasn’t been any writing about her, has it?”

“No sigil, no emblem, not even a special commemorative tapestry in honor of the naga who owns this territory. Strange, isn’t it?” Chase releases Jack and does a tight circle around him, completely trapping him.

“Why?” Jack asks dumbly and leans over the tall wall of scales that imprisons him. Perlen’s voice taunts him,  _ you have no self-preservation instinct.  _ Chase laughs, low and menacingly, his tail wraps around Jack’s waist and pulls him up. 

“Jack, I don’t think Lady Eka is a fighter.” Chase passes a hand over the short length of his hair. “Some nagas assemble an impressive territory out of the bones of their enemies, and others are fortunate to find a very secluded land to rule over.”

“That’s a bold assumption,” Jack wasn’t sure what to do with his hands, he felt drunk in Chase’s happy mood, “some might say, a reach.” 

“It is,” Chase agrees, “and I have another one. Lady Eka collects stories, and we can form a plan with that information.” 

“Can we?” Jack was whisk to the fireplace. He tilts back and forth trying to find balance on his own feet, and Chase lits a fire. 

Hidden by the crackling of the fire, Chase tells him their multiple plans: 

First and foremost, they must stay inside the house. Inside the house are items Chase can use as weapons. And tapestries, Jack can use his knife to rip the priced murals as a distraction. 

Second, Jack is to keep the knife with him at all times for protection. He will also be sweet and overly friendly, making him less suspicious. If the elf is cornered and decides to escape, he must leave the knife behind, and hopefully, Lady Eka will be affected by the curse.

Third, they will be civil and go through all the niceties if needed but it is best if Chase attacks first. Chase will distract her by telling her his tale. Then, he will use his size and experience to immobilize Eka on the floor. Jack will cut her throat. This won’t be a clean fight. They need to hit fast and hard, and Chase isn’t above dirty fighting if it makes the difference between dead and life. 

There are two knocks at the door.

Jack hides both knives at the band of his pants and covers it with his wide shirt. Chase invites them in.

Dandy walks in, wearing nicer clothes than he did this morning. 

“If you two will please follow me,” Dandy bows lightly and stops to look at Chase and then Jack, “I hope the clothes were to your liking.” 

“Yes!” Jack jumps to meet him, and waves one of the sleeves. “I like the design and the fabric.” 

Dandy was looking at Chase when he asked the question, but he turned his attention to Jack. 

“Thank you, I spin the tread myself,” Dandy smiles fondly at his work. 

“Oh, a fellow artist!” Jack was more of his stage persona than his usual self, but he was preparing to be the distraction, they don’t have much time and a tiny margin for errors.

“An artist? I’m just an old spinner, not like the others that tread our beautiful tapestries!” Dandy blushes at the praise. 

“You spin thread? Like for clothes, and all the tapestries?” Jack asks innocently. Dandy nods. “So, you are like the foundation of everything here,” Jack casually says and the nymph’s blushes deeply. Jack steps closer, so naturally, and touches Dandy’s forearm.

Dandy’s whole attitude changed from cordial and reserved to enthusiastic and open.

Chase quietly joins the group and moves with them. He pays attention to the number of windows, doors, servants, and possible weapons. 

Dandy explains to Jack the details of thread spinning, and Jack looks impossibly engaged in their conversation. 

They make it to the main dining room.

The room they entered was well illuminated, the table was full of delicious plates, smoked duck, roasted goat, a pig with vegetables, platters full of fruit and wine bottles. The head of the table only had one chair, for Jack, but three places had been set. 

“Where is Lady Eka?” Chase could feel his eyebrow twitch. 

“Oh, Lady Eka-” Dandy starts.

“This is getting ridiculous!” Chase frowns but stops himself from saying more. He can sense her. Chase licks the air with his forked tongue and moves out of the room. 

“Chase!” Jack covers his mouth in mock disbelief and turns to Dandy, “Sorry for this spectacle!” Blocking Dandy. 

Chase moves out of the room and sees another naga at the end of the hall. He moves out in the open but makes no more effort to close their distance.

“Lady Eka,” he acknowledges her.

“Chase Young,” the naga moves closer. She was small, even for a young naga. Eka moves with dignity and the pace of someone who won’t be rushed. Her brown hair cascades in smooth waves to the ground, her skin and scales are patches of light and dark browns with copper highlights, “forgive me for keeping you waiting for so long.” 

“Ah,” Chase looks at Eka, she was smaller up close, but she wasn’t young. Her copper eyes had a pearl of wisdom only acquired by age, “I can’t say I have ever been kept waiting.”

“Yes, I would like to express my deepest apologies. Your intrusion came at the most inopportune of times.” Eka places her hands together, she comes closer than Chase expected. She isn’t sacred. 

“Ah,” Chase never knew an adult naga could be so small. He looks at her body, petite, and plum with no visible muscle built, she wasn’t a fighter. “I am sorry, I’m staring.”

“Everyone does at first,” Eka seems visibly relaxed, a topic she is used to, “I’m a dwarf naga.”

“I have never met one.” Chase hums out. He hasn’t met many nagas though.

“Now you have!” She smiles brightly and goes into the room. Chase follows back in. 

Jack was still blocking Dandy from leaving, and both looked relieved to see the nagas enter the room. Jack visibility gawks at Eka, but quickly schools his expression. 

“Lady Eka,” Dandy bows and introduces her to the room. 

The three of them take their places at the table in tensed silence. 

“I want to thank you for your hospitality, but it feels out of place.” Chase starts.

“Yes, tradition is for us to meet and fight. But I was, as mentioned before, terribly busy.” 

Nymphs come to serve their plates.

“I cannot possibly imagine what kept us from the meeting.” Chase smirks and Eka raises a bushy eyebrow at him.

“I hope you are not calling a coward,” Eka stabs her duck but doesn’t seem offended. She has a good natural smile, and Chase didn’t like it. It irritates him. 

“I wouldn’t,”  _ But I should _ , Chase pokes his meat with his fork. He couldn’t believe they were having dinner instead of fighting.

“I was surprised to hear about your intrusion.” Lady Eka keeps talking like their interaction was normal. “Usually things are calm here, especially this deep into fall.” 

“I wasn’t planning on entering your territory,” Chase cuts a small piece of meat and chews it slowly. Having a calm conversation when all he had been thinking was how to kill her was not sitting well with his stomach. “I didn’t know there was a magical barrier until Jack and I crashed through it. Then, we were in another naga’s territory.” 

“Oh, Jack! How rude of us to ignore you.” Eka turns, and Jack takes a sip of wine to pass the bite he almost chokes on. “Tell me, how did a moon elf and a desert naga end up traveling together?” 

“Oh, please do! Ignore me, I mean, you guys have things to talk, talk about. Like, um,” Usually Jack was a great talker, but he was caught off guard. So was Chase, judging by the twitch of his eyebrow, “things.” Jack meant the fight. 

“Oh yes, I suppose,” Eka seems immediately disinterest on the topic and returns her attention to Chase, “Well, I’m still happy you are here, as unexpected as it was. I would like to hear how you two end up crossing my barrier? Or, who were the people chasing you?!.” 

“This isn’t a time for stories.” Chase snaps and then clears his throat. “It’s odd to do these niceties when we should be fighting.” 

Eka slowly puts her fork down, and the three of them stay still in their places.

“Then what should we talk about during dinner? It would be rather boring if we were just to eat intense silence.” Eka didn’t seem bothered, just a bit bored. 

“I would like to know, why didn’t you come to fight me as soon as you knew of me?” Chase looks at his plate and decides that he couldn’t eat anymore. If he loses the coming fight, he won’t have to worry about hunger. And if he wins, he can eat anything in this mansion. “What was more important than protecting your territory?” 

Lady Eka’s lips quirk up into a smirk like she just heard something funny.

“Oh, that’s funny. Of all the odds,” She puts a piece of meat on her mouth, swallows, and tilts her head to get a better angle of Chase, “a naga, Beatel of Indigofera tinctoria, is currently visiting me.” 

“There is another naga here?” Chase felt as someone had come and pulled the air out of his lungs. “How? I. I didn’t know. This must be a terribly stressful situation for you.” He felt panic rise in his gut but he pushed it down. 

At least it made sense why Lady Eka didn’t come to see him. She had to give preference to her guest over her intruder. Not that Chase has ever heard of a protocol for such a rare situation.

“Not really. Beatel is a good friend, he listened to me when I asked him to please let me deal with this on my own.” Eka seems amused at Chase’s reaction more than the situation. “He has packed his bags and will leave tomorrow morning, two days earlier than we planned. But I think it is best if you two do not meet. He says he will have to fight you as soon as he sees you. You know, all naga code and old law.” 

Chase waited for her to address her other concern. He waited for her to acknowledge him as an opponent. 

“And you must fight off an intruder.” Chase bites his lower lip after saying that, he is supposed to be postponing the fight. But Lady Eka nearly ignoring him was getting on his nerves.

“We must, don’t we?” She drags the words out as she rolls her eyes. “What a silly rule.” She sighs out.

“Do you think of me as a joke?” Chase felt anger bubble up in his mouth, he tried to swallow the rest before he said something worse. 

“No! I didn’t mean you. I meant the tradition. A bit silly to fight everyone who enters your territory. It is not like you have threatened my life or are planning to take my land.” Eka explains but Chase doesn’t appear appeased by her words. “You said so yourself, you stumbled upon my land by accident.”

Chase stays quiet, he felt like every word in that sentence was insulting him, but Lady Eka seems earnest. 

“I am not to sit on a table where I’m not being recognized as a worthy opponent.” Chase aggressively raises up towering over the table in a show of dominance. His shadow falls on Lady Eka whose expression changes from amused to bored in the blink of an eye. 

Jack, on the other hand, has a wild-eyed expression the whole time.

“You are young, injured, and stupid. Sit down before I stand up.” Eka didn’t raise her voice but it rang clearly throughout the room. She won’t repeat herself.

Chase stays up, a sign of hostility that can not be ignored.

Eka looks at him and then at Jack. The elf was obviously holding a weapon under the table.

“Chase?” Jack wasn’t expecting Chase to go off plan.

Chase glares at Eka. Chase lost everything, but he is still one of the strongest warriors in history, he has his pride, and he will not be reduced to anything. Gold meets copper and an unwavering battle. He will fight. “Stand up.” 

Eka blinks one, “I was bluffing, I won’t stand up.” She smiles widely and the floor around them starts to tremble. 

At first, it was a light tremble, like a glass cup against a metal knife, then it was like the clutter of plates hitting the floor. Chase could feel the vibrations from the ground traveling through his tail, hear whole platters fall to the floor, even the sound of water spilling and the feeling of the whole mansion swinging back and forth. Every sense on his body shouts alarms as an earthquake strong enough to nearly force him to the ground passes. But Jack and Eka sit calmly on the table. Chase tries to concentrate on what is not moving, but it makes him nauseous. He tries staying in place but the floor appears to stretch and collapse under him. Chase moves but he keeps appearing in different areas he shouldn’t at, but never out of the amused glare from Eka.

Eka looks amused as Chase struggles to even find a wall, he would lean on one, feel the flat surface, and the next second he was standing in the middle of the room. 

“Is this how you are gonna fight?” Chase barks out, unable to get close to Eka unless she allows it.

“Oh, I’m not fighting. I’m giving you a preview.” Her smile dims into something more gentle, or pitiful, and the room stops shaking at once. Chase finds himself facing a wall, he turns only to find Eka a short step from her. She looks up to him, her copper eyes lazily analysing his expression. 

Jack’s knives were on the side of his plate and he looked agitated. 

“Are you planning on using illusions,” Chase hisses out. He felt embarrassed and angry, “you will dishonor our tradi-”

“Yes,” Lady Eka looks him dead in the eye and continues, “you are a skilled fighter, I wouldn’t want to face you in combat. And, you wouldn’t want to face my magic.” 

Chase stays quiet. He looks at his cold food and feels like puking if he fights Lady Eka, he won’t be able to win against her. But not fighting was worse because he will have to live knowing he was a coward. 

Choosing to fight a losing battle had never felt irrational to Chase. Fighting, honoring the law of the old world, has always been something to be proud of. But know, as his vision fades into an obsessive tunnel vision. 

“Do you want to fight?” Jack’s mouth was dried. 

That was why. This is the first time Chase would be facing an unwilling party.

“I don’t.” She lets a long sigh out. “I really don’t want to. I offer you two to stay until you both feel better, and in exchange, I ask for your stories. I consider myself a story keeper, a historian of some sort. And, I know part of your story, from 844 years ago, but not the rest.”

Chase didn’t appear relaxed by that statement at all.

“Do you really think I will beg for mercy?” Chase felt something in him stir, something so familiar and natural to him, the tension before a fight. 

“No, I don’t.” Eka sighs, and looks up to her tapestries. “That’s why I’m going to threaten you to accept my cordial invitation or fight now.”

“How?” He lets out a chuckle. Chase won’t hide like a coward, every fight means risking your life and this isn’t the first time Chase bets against the odds. “What could you do that is worse than killing me?” 

Eka moves closer, raises herself higher until she can whisper in Chase’s ear. “Easy, I won’t kill you first.” 

The whole room spins as the focus of the conversation wildly shifts. 

She steps away, far enough so she couldn’t touch Chase, but close enough for Chase to still reach her. 

“He is a passing traveler-” 

“And is up to my discretion how to deal with him.” She quickly cuts him.

“You don’t have to-”

“You don’t have to fight me. You can bow down,” Eka retaliates, “I won’t touch him if-”

“You are fucking deranged if you think I will let you touch him!” Chase screams so loudly he felt his chest vibrate with the strength of his voice. Chase refuses to die like a coward, but Jack will beg. He won’t see Jack beg for his life only to end up bleeding on the floor.

Eka looks at him, studies him.

“I’m going to force a spiral illusion on you and stab your Jack. Pinned him to the ground with a sword. You will watch him bleed out for hours, unable to touch as he wipers -he looks like a crier, is he a crier?” Eka expected a response but could see all of Chase's bravado melt in a single heartbeat. “Once he is dead, I’ll fight you.” 

There wasn’t any air in the room. 

Chase didn’t have words. He could hear his heart on his mouth, and he didn’t have the strength to swallow it. 

The naga stayed silent because he knew Lady Eka could and would carry out her words.

“Or you can bow down to me, become my guest instead of my intruder; live by sacrificing one stupid rule.” 

Chase looks at her for a long time.

“That’s not how the law of the old world is written.”

“I know. This is the law I wrote.” Eka looks at Jack who has been trying to escape but is stuck pacing in a small circle, “I don’t care for either of you. I only care for your story.”

“Why?” Chase knows fighting like a bird knows wind. What Eka asks of him felt unnatural, but still, she asks.

“I’m disappointed that you of all nagas have to ask.” She lifts her hand and turns to coes Jack closer, the elf couldn’t see her but he still moves in her direction. 

“Lady Eka,” Chase calls and he sees Eka smile. It wasn’t grim or sadistic as Chase thought would be fitting, but excited. “I humbly accept your invitation,” Chase bows deeply and slowly. 

He raises vertebrae by vertebrae and is surprised to find Eka bowing to him too. Chase felt his fingers twitch when he saw the exposed neck, it would only take one perfect strike.

But as much as he hates her right now, she hasn’t earned such a dirty tactic. 

Once Eka has straightened her posture, she speaks from the door frame.

“Thank you for accepting my invitation.” She was from a safe distance carefully watching Chase interact with an illusion of her.

“You didn’t let me much of a choice.” 

The woman in front of him vanishes into nothing, and Jack trips over his own feet trying to find where he was.

“This isn’t the stables?” 

“You got to the stables?!” Eka laughs, but it’s obvious she is the only one who finds the whole situation funny. So she quickly excuses herself. “You must be tired, I’ll retire for the night and I’ll send someone to come get you for breakfast.” 

They wait until she is far gone, though technically neither was sure if she was. 

The candles around them burnt off and people waited outside the room to come and clean.

“We should go,” Chase says and they return to their room.

They had more time to walk through the halls. 

Slowly, the pair walks to their room while looking at the tapestries. 

“Do you think that’s how she got all these murals?” Chase breathes out but doesn’t stop or hurry up.

“Maybe, or people just gave them to her. She wasn’t a bitch until she threatened my life.” Jack didn’t care for tapestries at the moment.

“No naga will just accept that deal, they must have been forced to.” Chase opens the doors to their room. The bed had been made and the room clean.

“Yes, this,” Jack makes a wide motion with his hands pointing to the room as a whole, “this is torture. Can you think of worse conditions? A more vile and unfair deal? A luxurious room, delicious food, water, and,” Jack raises his voice still incredulous that Chase didn’t simply bow down and said thank you from the beginning, “our fucking lives. For a story?!” Jack could keep going, but he expected opposition by now. 

Chase moves to the vanity and looks though their bag, he pulls the small glass jar Mada gave him.

“We are creatures of war, Jack, by denying me the right to fight she has made me a coward. And by taking away my story, she is stilling the legacy that has passed down from generation to generation in my clan.”

Jack tries to think of what to say to that, but he couldn’t relate to Chase. Jack was a proud coward who did what was needed to survive. And he doesn’t understand, how could a story be kept from others? He is a professional storyteller, stories are meant to be shared.

In the lack of better words, Jack tries to relate to the sentiment and not the logic.

“That sucks!” He puts his close fits on his hip, and Chase turns to look at him surprised.

“Don’t patronize me, Jack.” Chase moves past him and drops on the bed.

The elf crosses his arms, tries to think of something to say but he comes with nothing nice.

“Fine,” Jack moves to the bed and kicks his canvas shoes off before climbing on the bed, “we got lucky Eka didn’t want to fight.” 

The elf crawls over the smooth scales to the soft skin and finds a cozy spot next to Chase.

“I know. I’m still angry about it.” Chase frowns, he wishes he was strong enough to fight Eka. “But I suppose I should be thankful for her pity.” 

“Okay!” Jack tries to hold in laughter from that. “You would prefer to fight than to share a little about yourself?” 

“I would literally prefer to die than to share about myself, Jack.” Chase purposely stretches some words, he knows how he sounds by now.

“Aha, Chase, have you ever taken a theater class?” Jack smirks, and both share a quick and shallow laugh.

“I fear I never had the flare,” Chase takes a few deep breaths and lets go of whatever he is holding, “but I do try.”

“You do more than try.” Jack is lightly shoved by a pillow. He pushes back and reclaims his spot. “I believe you,” Jack didn’t understand why bowing down was so hard for Chase when the alternative is death, but he knew it was. “Thank you.” 

Chase doesn’t answer for a while.

“I want to tell you first.”

“Mm?” Jack picks the closest pillow to him and hugs it. “You already told me, not all at once but I can piece the pieces.”

“I was vague in some details.” Chase turns on his side to look at Jack, and wraps his tail around them. 

“Okay,” Jack scoots closer, “you have captivated your audience.” 

“When it was time for my siblings and me to leave our nest and find a place to call our own, I was the only one who chose the desert.” Jack nods remembering Chase’s pros and cons to choosing the desert.

“Great mostly inhabit land, but filled with monsters and very isolated. I reached the center and started building a palace with my own hands. I wanted a kingdom, I learned from books I stole from travelers and witches about cities, and I decided I will be a king.” Chase still had the same goals but know he can see how naive and stupid he was by simply taking on the monumental task without any planning.

“King of what exactly? King to who?” Jack bats his long eyelashes playfully and Chase clears his throat and waves his embarrassment away. 

“Details.”

“Little details?” Jack snorts. 

“Civilizations don’t just happen, they all require a degree of protection. I didn’t understand when I was younger. I really concentrated on building that palace and hunting for food. Creatures were either larger than me with intent to kill me or insects, nothing bigger than a coyote.” Chase had overlooked a detail he had never had to worry about when he was a child.

“There wasn’t enough food to sustain you for long.” 

“That’s why I switched my efforts into trading. I have found a few goods I could trade but they weren’t much, so I need a weaker nation I could bully into a deal that will favor me more.”

“A weaker nation? You have a pile of lined up rocks!” Jack’s eyes widened. 

“Yes, but who will tell them that? Not me.” Chase remembered feeling so distressed in spending money on clothes, he didn’t use them but he needed them to sell the appearance of a rich noble. “The Echodour Kingdom was just starting, they were at the verge of bankruptcy and losing people every day to the mines. I defeat their very small volunteer army in a day and force myself into the palace, I told them I could be a guest or I could kill them all.”

“Rough start?”

“No, this was not uncommon for them, they were stuck with many larger kingdoms overtaxing them for materials. By the way, I didn’t understand politics, economics or human manners back then-” Jack interrupts with a short laugh. 

“Sorry, I’m just trying to imagine how you pitch your deal.” 

“Badly, during dinner, I didn’t know about forks and I stole two knives because I thought they were pretty. But still workout out somehow after many attempts.” Chase remembers the mess of that interaction. 

“So they invested in your kingdom?”

“No,” Chase feels a fraction of the disappointment he felt that day, “they barely have enough for themselves. They tried to bribe me with two sacks of potatoes.” 

“Oh, how far did you travel for those potatoes?”

“A month, but returned because they were good potatoes, and a single yard yielded a lot. I told them to stop mining and become an agriculture kingdom. It was much easier said than done. I stayed living with them for most of the year for over a decade. I help turn the soil, set fences, and harvest the food.”

“You were a farmer? You live with humans!” Jack sits up, for all he knows of nagas, living with humans sounds unlikely.

“It was very strange, but I didn’t trust them to not betray me unless I kept a close eye on the production. I also went to their schools, and even attended some parties in nearby kingdoms.” 

“Ha,” Jack tries to imagine Chase as a young naga in a small schoolhouse, “did you like it?”

“I can’t say if I did,” Chase props himself on his elbow, “but I didn’t dislike either. I can’t imagine myself doing all that again.”

“Did it work? Moving to agriculture?”

“Yes, it did, but Echodour had many debts with growing interests.”

“Oh, the type you just won’t be able to pay off.”

“It would take a battle and they didn’t have the people.” Chase nods, “I thought that if they find new better allies they could unbury themselves from the situation they were in, and I could benefit from their good fortune-”

“Of course!” 

“I set out to find a new trading route, the one I used took too long to get anywhere. After a few years, I found it. Down east, hidden by a trick of the light, up mountains there were to tall hills with a path between them, a V-shaped valley. It led to a shortcut that could open up paths to multiple nations, including the Echodour kingdom. But there was a problem, it was satellite territory to the Han family, an old naga clan.”

“Family? I thought all siblings have to kill each other or something?” 

Chase made a face like he didn’t want to explain.

“Yes, if not, siblings could pair up.” 

Jack looks down to Chase and returns the look of disgust. 

“No, no.” Jack shakes his head. “I had been super respectful until right now.”

“No, no one likes that, they did that on their own.” Chase sits and frantically trying to distance the rest of his kind from the Han family, “everyone kills their siblings like they are supposed to.” 

“...You gotta know that is still choosing between the lesser evil.” 

“As I was saying,” Chase ignores Jack, “the stretch of land I needed was small, and not even theirs. Still, I let them know I would be expanding my territory. I need them to be agreeable so that they will not attack people using the route later. They were not.”

“The valley war.” Jack stops, “I thought that war was about drugs?”

“Opium, poppy flower. I didn’t know at the time during summer, the poppies bloom and that valley becomes more profitable than any other export in the country, maybe the continent.”

“Oh, shit.” Jack makes a ‘tsk,’ and looks at Chase, this man is supposed to be older and wiser and yet- “You didn’t back out.” 

“That route would have changed everything! Even if it was only suitable for half of the year!” 

“And let some merchandiser trample over the baby poppies, fat chance from the beginning.” Jack barks a loud laugh. Not much was known of the Valley war, it was an extensive, expensive and bloody war, and not no one knew how it began. Now Jack knows, and he finds it hilarious that it was all over a misunderstanding and a prideful naga unwilling to step away from a fight that he can’t win. “Chase you knew that you have -how, how did you think that war was going to end?”

There is a heavy silence. Chase can see now that it was a mistake to choose to fight back then like it would be to fight now. 

“I first tried negotiating and offering to pay for the months we used the route, using the gems I learned to create with magic. But they refuse. Then I tried bluffing, I hired an army and threatened to take the land by violent means.” 

There was a complicated mix of feelings floating between them.

“It was stupid of me. I was blinded by my pride and wants. I didn’t stop to find a different path.” 

Jack felt his heart drop, he should be thinking of all the ramifications from Chase’s actions, but he could only think of the man. The elf cautiously reaches for the naga’s hand. They know each others’ skin, with the pretense of warmth they had embraced more times than they would admit. Just like rain knows dirt, they end up inevitably finding each other in a soft confident touch. So, when Jack’s fingers delicately caressed the top of Chase’s hand, it should feel familiar, but it was all new. The way Jack’s eyes locked with Chase for a moment too long, and how Chase’s skin sprouted goosebumps where Jack touched him. It was familiar and new, just like a storm after a fire, the dirt starved welcomes the touch of the rain. 

“Tell me,” Jack squeezes Chase’s hand. “Do you regret it?”

“I can not say I do. I would do it again, but I would not do it as I did.” 

“What happened?” Jack knew that the Han family lost, but now he wonders ‘how?’

“Nagas are solitary creatures, I thought with an army I could fight them. So I marched certain that I could separate them and kill them one by one. But they had an army, monsters made of rock and magic. I wasn’t prepared and we suffered heavy losses.” Chase looks up to the tapestry of St. Mary over the fireplace, a naga strong enough to stop an army. “I needed more men, stronger weapons, new spells, and better strategies. It was a race against time, a battle was fought and another one started. I needed to move faster: I was traveling from the desert to the battle site to Echodour and back to the battle site.” Chase turns to look back at Jack. “People from the Echodour Kingdom volunteered to fight, if I got the route secured it would open possibilities for them. I saw many of them grow up, I trained them and I knew their abilities, but it hurts so much more to send people you like to die.” Chase looks at Jack’s hand and then back to the elf. He still felt the crushing fear that the next move would be his last. The pressure of planning an attack. He remembers seeing blood, his blood, staining the enemy’s blade, spilling on the floor, and enemy soldiers clashing against them. The battles seem to happen in a blink of an eye and last forever at the same time, it wasn’t like a fight, one on one, it was constant combat until the bodies had accumulated on the ground until he was reduced to the most animalistic version of himself. 

“What did you do?” Jack asks when Chase didn’t continue.

“I went back home.” Chase hung his head in shame. “I needed to regroup and I ran out of funds.” He straightens himself. “My sibling was waiting for me, the very last one, they came to fight. The winner will live and continue to carry the clan line. But I was exhausted, and starving and-” Chase lets out a sigh, “I was lonely. I have been fighting a war for forty years and I could use an ally. They were another strong naga, someone I knew.” 

“You tried to reason with um, them?” Jack was surprised, the Chase he knew doesn’t back out from a fight, it doesn’t matter if he is injured or tired. He most had been truly desperate.

“I did, but they refused to not fight. We prepared all our life for that fight, and they had to see it through. I wish I could tell you it was a hard fight, that I fought to an inch of my life but I can’t. We both knew how that fight would end since we were children. I was the strongest among us, and they couldn’t change that in the short century.” Chase stops again. “I am not sure how I felt after. I know I stood there for a long time, I was hungry and exhausted, the frost of the night had started to creep in, the moon was so big and blue last night. A full moon,” Chase stops, that most have been a thousand years ago, “Jack, I was starving.”

Jack could taste the desperation in those words. He remembered what Chase said about all flesh being meat.

“Chase, they were already gone and you have to survive.” Jack tried to comfort him. Though, Jack wasn’t sure if he could.

“I clenched my hunger, I was going to bury their remains when I heard a voice.” 

“There was someone else there?” Jack couldn’t hide his surprise. Chase didn’t answer at first. “Who was it?”

“I didn’t know he was there until he spoke to me. He was a silhouette with the full moon. He,” Chase frowns, like he still disapproves of what happens next, “was clapping. He told me he had been watching me for a while and that he was impressed by how fast I pick up war strategies, how resourceful I was, my magic and combat skills.” Chase stops, and Jack could tell now, Chase didn’t want to say it.

“You needed to hear that.” Jack rubs his thumb over Chase’s palm fondly.

“I  wanted to hear that!” Chase chuckles, dark and low. “I was a fucking tool Jack, but I’m not sure I’m not anymore.”

“Chase,” Jack gives Chase’s hand a small squeeze.

“At the heart of the desert, a devil stretched his hand to me. There was something about him that made every single nerve in my body contract like the floor was about to swallow me whole. I could tell he was dangerous and,” Chase looked Jack in the eye to closely his reaction, “evil. Hannibal Roy Bean.”

Jack flinched and Chase just nods.

“I thought-”

“You know him.”

“I heard about him but I thought those were just stories. Stupid legends to scare kids.” Jack stops, he knows the stories, what Hannibal does.

“He said that I was the most deliciously ruthless snake he had ever seen and that it was a shame I was going to lose the war and die after everything I have done. So, he told-”

“ No ,” Jack whispered covering his mouth.

“He could offer me a deal,” Chase sees Jack’s eyes water and big crystal tears build on the corner of his eyes, “power, more than I ever dream of. Enough power to win the war, enough power to,” Chase glances at the tapestry over the fireplace, just for a second, “defeat an army on my own.” Chase looks at Jack and tries to dissect his emotions, what would Jack think? “And he only asks for my soul.”

“Chase?” Jack could hear his voice tremble.

“I gave it to him and after, Jack, after everything came so easy.” Chase chuckles again, this time it sounded darker and almost cruel. “I created all the jewels I could ever need in seconds, I shapeshifted -I grew wings and flew over those pesky mountains I struggled to advance for years, I found Huā Han and tore through her palace. I fought her and won. Oh, I put my hand through her abdomen and she begged me for mercy,” Chase laughs out loud, and keeps laughing until he can’t breathe, “she begged for mercy, after all that she did -after so many of my soldiers die, she dared to beg for her life.” Chase’s golden eyes still held fury for that woman. “I made sure her death was slow and painful.”

Jack found himself out of breath, one hand squeezing Chase until the naga felt pain and the other over his crazed heart. He didn’t know why.

“I won the war.” Chase lets a last bittersweet laugh. He still remembers the high standing over Huā Han’s dead body. “I was the rightful owner of the Han’s families resources and territory.”

“You did it!” Jack should feel scared, and he was scared, but mostly he felt deeply impressed. “You wanted it and you did it!” 

Chase smirks feeling oddly smug, he didn’t expect that reaction.

And Jack couldn’t judge him, if someone had offered him the same deal for what he wanted, he would have taken it in a heartbeat.

Chase laughs again, loud and happy in an almost drunk sort of way. The room fills with his voice and Jack can’t hear anything besides Chase’s laughter and he wants it that way. Jack didn’t know why, but he likes it. 

“I did a lot more after. I seized their resources and used them to build my kingdom, paid Echodour’s debts and bought everything I ever thought I might like.” Chase’s smile fades into a frown and he massages the bridge of his nose.

“It didn’t last, eh?” Jack gives him a little sympathetic lopsided smile.

“Nothing was growing on my land, and the heat was unbearable to most creatures. It took too long to bring back food from Echodour, and even if that were and option, they were not producing enough for my suddenly overcrowded city-”

“City?” When Jack saw the ruins, he only found the palace, nothing else that indicated that more people had lived there.

“People were moving into the territories I wasn’t guardian, and to guard them I needed an army, an actual army I could trust, not just some hired muscle. The route I fought the war in the first place became infected with petty criminals trying to steal the poppy flowers, but I couldn’t send my army there cause they were not ready and it was summer and I had to put all my effort into building shelters because people were getting heatstroke. Other kingdoms wanted to visit me or asked me to visit them and I couldn’t do either because I had too much on my hands. Also, humans have a different definition of a harem than nagas do, and I got a declaration of war out of nowhere because I rejected someone’s party invitation or something equally trivial-”

“You hated it.”

“I. I didn’t hate it. I just, some times, thought of setting the whole thing on fire, but most often than not I just wanted more sleep. I liked solving all those problems and building something. But I didn’t know how to do it all. I thought the hard part would be to win the war, but wars had clear objectives. Peace is made of a million treaties. I was lost, and he came to me again.”

“Hannibal? He- wait, what he wanted?” 

“Heh,” Chase flicks his tail, “you are smarter than me. He told me that he saw me struggling and he wanted to offer me advice. I believe him. And it worked, his advice was useful and he was very knowledgeable. He became my teacher. Hannibal trained me in magic, Heyling,” if Jack has a problem with that, he didn’t show it, so Chase continued “history, fighting techniques and strategies. But soon his advice turned into commands, and shortly after into demands. I understood that I didn’t have a teacher, I had a master.”

“He was training you?” Jack wondered, for what? 

“I made plans to banish him to another realm, I found an ally on a powerful witch, Wuya. An alliance that I deeply reject.” Chase ignores him. 

“Did it work?”

“I didn’t find out, three days before I could set my plan into action I fell into slumber.” 

“Oh,” Jack nods, he knows what happened after, “that’s wild.”

Chase cocks his head and looks at Jack. “That is the best you could think of.”

“I was being considerate!” Jack picks his pillow and lightly throws it at Chase. Then he noticed that he had stopped holding his hand. Jack held Chase though his story, it had been a quiet small gesture, and Jack felt saddened that it was over. 

“You must have questions.” Chase lets the pillow hit him.

Jack could think of a thousand questions, but he could feel the moon on the sky fading if it wasn’t morning it would be soon, so there wasn’t time for questions.

“For now, I just have one. Why di you told me?” 

Jack knows now more than ever that this story was private to Chase. It was his life, himself cut open and exposed to picked apart. Jack understood why Eka would go to such lengths to learn it, and why Chase was forced to tell it. But Chase didn’t have to tell Jack, he didn’t have to share with the elf his darkest most private moments.

“I don’t know, Jack. Maybe I am a fool,” _and I trust you._

Before Jack could ask what he meant, there was a knock on the door.

It’s time to meet Lady Eka. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to play with the idea of Chase being a little too eager to throw himself into a fight and suffering from tunnel vision. This Chase is younger than the Chase on the show so I can make him do dumb mistakes and be all stupid and young at times. :D  
> I feel like I'm going too in-depth with world-building, especially with the naga stuff, but I really like that and it will most likely continue. Please let me know what you guys think! And thank you to everyone who has commented, I really love comments and they inspired me to write!
> 
> P.s. sorry for the extra-long chapter. But I think they might just keep getting longer '0'


	11. Friend or Foe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase gets into fights!  
> Jack deals with stuff.  
> Eka and Beatel are gonna stay for a while but they will eventually go away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So because Chase is still 'young' he still has lots to learn. In this chapter, he is having to learn when to choose to fight.

Friend or Foe

Chapter 11

The door flies open, and a tall woman stands awkwardly in the middle of the doorframe.

“You are not Dandy!” Jack loudly accuses, she doesn’t deny or agrees, just signals them to follow her. 

Chase slithers out of bed and follows her from a short distance. 

Jack fishes his shoes under the bottom of the bed and hurries to catch up with them. He lets out a yawn and rubs his face awake. Chase gives him a lazy glance while he combs his messy hair with his fingers. They stayed up all night. 

It was hard on them to keep facing the next obstacle in their seemingly never-ending crusade with just little to none rest in between. 

Lady Eka offered them a safe place to rest for a very reasonable, though unusual, price.

“Pss!” Jack tries to get Chase, but the naga’s attention is elsewhere. “Psss!” 

“Mm?” Chase tilts his head slightly, still not giving Jack his full attention.

“What are you thinking?” Jack asks suspiciously. Chase agreed to bow down and share his story in exchange for Eka’s hospitality, but after last night Jack worries the naga might change his mind. 

“About, um,” Chase was still in his own head, “the day I killed the last of my siblings and,” he looks ahead to the woman showing them the way, “...the blue moon was full.” he chooses to say.

“Oh?” Jack was still taking all of Chase’s life in. It was odd to play Chase’s confidant, it felt like a privilege to be trusted with all his secrets, but it also felt like a burden. Jack felt conflicted after hearing him, and he worried what Chase might do. “I just want to check, how are you feeling? Or-”

“Out with it, Jack.” Chase was exhausted, not the no-sleep-tired or weeks-of-non-stop-traveling-tired. He felt like that night in the desert. Chase could still feel the burns on his back from the exposure to the sun, the pulsing of his wound from his latest injuries, and the hunger that runs deep within his core. 

“You are not fighting, right?” Jack felt panic rising within him.

Chase turns to Jack and gives him a little smirk. “No promises.” 

Jack reached for Chase’s arm and pulled him down with so much strength the naga wasn’t sure if he was being pulled or if he was actually falling. He found himself inches from Jack’s pretty face. Chase had seen those crystal eyes hold so much emotion, but nothing suited them like red unapologetic livid anger. 

“Listen, little shit!” Jack hissed loud enough to be heard by the woman guiding them. He was out of patience, and they were out of time. “I’ll follow you to each corner of this world, but I’m not following you to the next!” The red on his eyes burn high. “If you die, you are just meat on the floor to me.” 

“A-Hem.” Lady Eka tries to announce her presence, but it was too late, she saw too much. She smiles widely, standing behind the door frame and tries to pretend she didn’t just watch the biggest naga she knows being told off by his elf companion. “Good morning.”

Jack lets go of Chase, but the naga takes a moment to return to his usual height. No point in hiding.

Their smiles are a bit tense, but they still move to accompany Lady Eka outside the mansion.

There is a beautiful garden connecting the main mansion to the west house. The garden was clean, short trim grass, grand statues of nymphs holding a canopy, thin trees scattered throughout the territory, colorful rock paths, and a mosaic floor at the feet of the west house.

When the pair first came to the house, they saw an illusion of dead grassland, and now they see the reality of Lady Eka’s detailed home. 

Chase looks at the large windows, open structure, and highlighted paths, they were poor security choices. Of course, it was meaningless to worry about it when Eka could hide it at her discretion. 

Chase stares at the canopy. It was an alive sculpture made out of vines and trees, a cheaper but more time-consuming alternative to traditional statues. However, to work with plants, it takes time and patience. 

Eka’s home had taken a long time to build, Chase could sense it, and it was a reflection of her. Every well-thought decision, from the materials used to the way she approached them, was a show of power, not wealth. 

Chase looks at the small naga. Eka’s brown hair was braided and heavily falls from her shoulder to the floor, her scales shine with a pretty pattern that is only bestowed to nagas who had outlived their generation, and her control over magic was as impressive as it was terrifying.

“Lady Eka, may I have a word?” Chase waits until Eka nods. 

They move a few meters away to talk in private, and Jack stays behind, feeling like his entire body was a compression pot about to pop. 

Eka was taken back by the request, but she didn’t feel any hostility from Chase, so she agrees. 

Once they have made enough distance to create mock privacy, Eka starts.

“You have to stop worrying that poor elf.” She smirks, glancing at Jack. 

“He makes it so easy at times,” Chase smiles, he couldn’t see Jack, but he could imagine the nervous reck he must be, “I pushed him more than I meant, but he is very forgiving.”

“I see,” Eka nods and wonders of the nature of their relationship. Dandy mentioned they called each other ‘traveling companions,’ but he saw them sharing a bed naked. However, Chase couldn’t take a consort in his situation. Either way- “what is that you wish to tell me?” 

Chase stood there for a long time, he tasted the flavor of his own pride and swallowed it whole. He bows down, deeper than he did last night, and stays with his head down as he speaks, “please accept my most sincere gratitude,” he takes two steady breaths. Chase remembers that night in the desert when his sibling insisted on fighting, even though it would result in their death. “Thank you, Lady Eka, for extending an invitation to stay, for sharing your food, and for sparing my life.” Chase lifts his head and finds Eka watching him completely stunned. “And thank you for not withdrawing said invitation when I behave like a brat.”

Eka opens and closes her mouth multiple times, unable to find a response. She looks at Chase, who suddenly looks older, and she can’t help but smile.

“Oh,” she does a fast, shallow bow that looks more like a dance step. “I -Chase.” Eka stops and tries to recollect herself. “Thank you for saying that.” She doesn’t like to fight, but she fought when she was younger, and every time she risked her life against older, stronger nagas. However, one day her opponent was younger and weaker than her. “We nagas live for our pride.” Eka offered them a chance to not fight, but fighting was their right. “We nagas die for our pride too. It’s not an easy feat to bow down and accept help.”

“It is not,” Chase blushes before admitting, “I thought that by not fighting you, I was admitting you were stronger than me. And by sharing my story, it would somehow lose it’s meaning.” It was odd, but he felt as if overnight, he had become more mature and wise.

“Did something change?” Eka nods, she had heard that before when she started forcing nagas to bow down, one way or another, but never so fast. 

“No, nothing did,” Chase closes his eyes and holds his own hand, like Jack did just a few hours ago, “you are stronger than me. So much so, that it wouldn’t be a fight at all, just a death sentence.” Lady Eka didn’t comment on it, but she was impressed that Chase could admit that. “And, I don’t think nothing can take meaning from the years I lived.”

“Chase Young, I know who you are,” Eka stared deeply into his eyes, “and I have waited a long time to talk to you-” She noticed Chase wasn’t looking at her anymore, his eyes focused at a point behind her.

Eka turns to see another naga, Beatel, standing not far from them staring in their direction. Dandy was running behind him, screaming to please return. Jack notices the other naga and runs to meet with Chase and Eka. 

“Lady Eka, who is-” Jack was cut short as Chase slithers away from them, his powerful tail splits the grass and small debris a shot. The other naga bolts to them, his thinner blue tail was like lighting in the ground. And it was obvious that he wasn’t going to them, he was only interested in Chase. 

They stop a few meters from each other, circling the other like rabid animals waiting for an opening to attack.

Eka hurries to put herself in the middle, but both males were bigger and physically stronger than her. She uses her magic, and as efficient it is to distort the perception of all senses, they can still find each other by following their unique magic essence. 

“This is the baby who can’t fight!” The other naga was much smaller and leaner than Chase, his long blue tail and shiny blond hair moved quickly from one end to another. He was trying to force Chase into a corner.

“Come closer and say that again!” Chase was aggressive on his movements, he keeps trying to shorten their distance resulting in a fast pace back and forth. He could only hear the sound of his heart hammering on his head, and every cell of his body was concentrated in his opponent. 

“Shit!” Jack follows the movements of both nagas. If Chase stops moving, Beatel will go for his neck, Jack could see it on the way he keeps licking his fangs. However, if Beatel stops moving for a second. Chase will definitely attack him. “Shit, shitshitshit!”

“Stop this immediately, I, Eka, am the rightful-” Beatel turns just for a moment to glance at Eka, and Chase tackles him, but he found himself on the floor instead of his opponent. 

“Stars! Thank you! You have them under a spell.” Jack wanted to relax but Eka looked stressed.

Beatel lets out a loud obnoxious laugh. “Serves you well- Baby!” 

“Are you trying to fight me,” Chase pushes himself off the ground, “or woo me? Either way, I am going to rip your liver out of your chest and make you eat it.”

“-I,” Beatel looks at Chase, adrenaline overpowers reason and he felt the high of a good fight. “I’m not good with words!” He lifts his tail and crashes it against the ground. It looks like no damage was done but he wraps his tail around ‘nothing’ and throws it. Mid-air they appear as large and medium debris. One hits Chase’s head and cuts his forehead. Beatel lets out another loud bird-like laugh.

“I did not know that Beatel from nowhere was a cheap cheater.” Chase glares, not bothering to clean the dirt from his face. Though he was impressed. Eka’s strength is illusions, and as great as she was, there were limits. She couldn’t stop anyone from doing actual damage to their surroundings. Her illusion might mask reality, but reality doesn’t stop existing. In other words, Eka could make them move away from everything, but the floor will forever be under them. 

“Stop this!” Eka screams looking at Beatel. Eka maintains her illusion, but Beatel appears to know her magic well enough to go around it. She steps between both of them. “Do you two want to fight?”

“Yes!” Both men answer unanimously.

“Then fight,” Eka sounds tired, she knows better than to try to keep nagas from fighting each other, “but not here! I’ll take you two to an arena where you two can kill each other for all I care!” She takes a few breaths. “Do you think both of you can stop fighting each other until we get there?” 

Chase glares at Beatel, he has a bad gut feeling from that man. “No.”

Beatel crosses his arms, he didn’t know anything about Chase but he thought the worst of the naga. “I’ll kill him at the first chance I get.”

“Okay Then!” Eka snaps her fingers and Beatel disappears. “Chase, Jack, please follow me.” 

“Where is he?!” Chase hurries to the last place where his opponent was before disappearing. 

“Maybe he is in the arena!” Eka mocks him, obviously using her magic to masked Beatel.

“Oh, ah- Lady Eka, I hope you under-”

“No, don’t say anything. You need to get it out of your system.” She moves to enter on the side of the building, Jack running next to her.

“What was that?” He asks, still trying to understand it himself. 

“They saw each other, now they had to fight. It’s, sadly, a naga thing.” Eka moves and Jack jogs next to her.

“...like animals?” 

“Yes, Jack, exactly like animals. Ah,” Eka frowns in frustration, “something I see a glimmer of potential in us, as a species,” she opens a door and slithers inside. The inside was a wooden floor with a large square pool full of sand. Eka goes to pull a lever that opens the sunroof shining a spotlight on the arena, “but of course I’m quickly reminded that we are snakes who learn to speak.”

“He came at me with murderous intent.” Chase defends himself and takes one side of the arena. 

“I know, I wasn’t talking about you.” Eka looks at the other side, and Beatel appears. Immediately, Chase and Beatel lock eyes. “LISTEN!” Both nagas turn to look at Eka. “I’m the owner of this territory and for me to blessed this fight, you two must follow my rules-”

“Wait!” Jack interrupts, stepping next to Eka, he gives her an apologetic look, “why are they fighting?” 

“Is in their nature. They locked eyes, they must either fight or f-mate.” 

Jack looks at Chase who just nods in agreement. 

“Okay, um,” Jack licks his lips, “how does this,” he makes a wide circle with his hand referring to the arena and their newest fighters, “affect me? As, am I still going to get...stab or how?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry Jack!” Eka dramatically brings her hand to her chest. “This doesn’t affect you at all. Regardless of the outcome of this fight, you are welcome in your house.”

“Jack, Eka won’t hurt you and won’t let this ugly thing touch you.” Chase comes closer, looking up to Jack from his place.

“And, I don’t know you, but I have no reason to fight you.” Beatel steps back, trying to give the elf space. 

“Okay, can I ask a few questions?” All the nagas nod enthusiastically. “Beatel, do you really have to fight Chase?”

“Yes, I must fight him with every fiber of my being, or I might just die.” Beatel earnestly declares. 

“Okay, Chase, do-”   
“Yes, if I don’t fight him right now, then I don’t deserve to go on living.” The golden iris in Chase’s eyes had nearly eaten his pupil, it was like looking into liquid gold.

“Eka!” Before Jack could ask her about it, she gave her own answer.

“I don’t want to fight, but I just might if they kept destroying my garden.”

“Oh, no, I mean. You give them rules?”

“Yes, one weapon, no dirty fighting, and no killing.” 

“Oh,” Jack nods, he didn’t expect a fight today, but since these willing participants are itching for one, “then why don’t we have fun with it?” 

“How?” Eka raises a bushy eyebrow.

“Call your nymphs and a doctor, get him,” Jack points a Beatel, “a manager, and me a megaphone!”

Eka seems incredulous of Jack, but still, she nodded to Dandy to do as requested.

“You will have everything you asked in a few minutes.”

“Then we have little time.” Jack pulls the ribbon from his sleeve and gives it to Chase. “Hair up.” He moves to the middle of the arena. “What are you fighting for?” Jack screams.

“Killing the other?” “Honor?” “Instinct?” Each naga’s response was different. 

“NO!” The elf makes sure he has the attention of the three nagas before continuing, and in a lower voice and confident tone he declares, “you are fighting for a title. You must defend your name by risking your life in the sands of doom!” Jack was overselling it, but he always preferred it than to boring his audience. “And come up victorious as the strongest warrior in the world!”

“In the world?” Eka smiles under her breath.

Nymphs enter the room, talking among themselves, slowly filling the role of an audience. 

“Fighters!” Chase knew what was happening, while Beatel looks confused at his surroundings. “Take your corners.” Beatel doesn’t move at first, but when he sees Chase going all the way back to his side, he does as well. 

Someone comes and gives Jack a megaphone. He smiles before preparing his storytelling voice into narrator/host mode. “Magical creatures of all ages, today we witness the fight of the century! On your right corner, we have the most ruthless desert naga to live, warlord and powerful sorcerer, a heavyweight champion, Chase Young of Calidi-Issimo desert!” Jack cheers loud enough to be confused by a group if people were not watching at his shameless display, but his confidence motivates others to join in his cheering “And, on the left corner the fastest prairie naga this valleys had ever seen, experienced killer and pretty face, Beatel of Indigofera tinctoria!” Jack gave a cheer so weak it was jarring. “Lady Eka.” Jack tilts his head to signal her to take her turn. 

She points to herself unsure, but she takes the spot where Jack was. 

Eka lifts her hands, the room falls silent, and she speaks with a booming voice that could be heard from every side of the room.

“Chase, Beatel,” She glared at them while the whole room held their breath, “pick your weapons.” The shelves on the side walls open, revealing weapons of all kinds. 

Chase picks a bō, a long wooden staff, and Beatel jumps out and picks two small pickaxes. 

“Chase Young has chosen a versatile weapon, short or long distance is just a manner of preference,” Jack lets a good nature laugh, “and, oh, he wields it like they have known each other all their lives!” Jack screams happily and turns to the other side. “Beatel is showing off that powerful tail by jumping completely off the ground, he makes it look easy, doesn’t he? And he carries twin pickaxes, now what is he gonna go with that!” He covers the mouth of the megaphone. “Lady Eka, time to let them loose.” Jack can’t stop or join the fight, but he can try to influence it. “People, keep your eyes open and your ears sharp, these are one of the strongest nagas in the land, but only the strongest one will win the title of the strongest warrior of all time!” 

Lady Eka raises high and orders, “Begin!” 

Immediately, both opponents move to the center. 

Beatel attacks with a pickaxe, Chase blocks it with his staff and leverages it off his hand. The pickaxe flies through the air and lands far from Beatel. The naga hisses and with a quick movement, he throws sand to his opponent. Chase raises his arm to protect his eyes, and Beatel uses the opening to sink the second pickaxe on Chase’s rib cage. Chase stops the ax from digging too deep, and the audience winces for him. 

“Don’t they move fast!” Jack puts a hand over his chest and lets out a slow breath. “Beatel is quick to act and merciless on his attacks,” Chase grips the hand holding the ax and gives the audience wide smile before buttheading Beatel. There was a loud crunch sound. Some people cheered, and others turned away, “Ouch! And quick to fall!” 

Beatel uses his other hand to push the pickaxe deeper into Chase’s wound, and with a pained primal scream, Chase shoves him off. 

Blood stains the sand and Jack tries to analyze how deep it is.

“I spoke too soon!” Jack smiles when he sees Chase hold his wounds, it wasn’t that deep at all. “First to attack and ready to fight dirty, Blue is out here for blood!” The public takes a second to be herded. At first glance, Beatel looks like an underdog, smaller and leaner, people don’t want to see him beaten by a much larger meaner snake. But he attacked first, and he fought dirty right away, he just lost the public favoritism and became the bad guy. “Burning stars, I wouldn’t want to be in a cage with that guy!” And Chase pretending to be more hurt than he actually was, what a perfect storm they are brewing. 

Beatel doesn’t take a break, he moves fast ready to attack. The audience boos him and he almost loses his concentration, like Chase when he first fought in front of an audience. He was distracted enough to not notice Chase’s staff swinging, hitting him straight in the chest knocking the air out of him. The audience cheer, it feels like righteous revenge. 

“My. Oh my, Blue watch where you are running to,” Jack encourages the public to laugh, and it was enough to force Beatel to change his fighting style. He went from an aggressive attack to a defensive attack. 

Beatel recoils and baits Chase. He moves close enough to reach and moves back before Chase could catch him.

Beatel was faster, but Chase was bigger. 

Chase uses his size, stretches his tail, and occupies most of the arena, pushing Beatel into a corner. But Beatel was nimble, he escaped from the smallest opening with grace creatures that large shouldn’t have.

“This isn’t a fight,” Jack leans closer, drawn in by the beauty of their movements. They were so smooth and delicate, “is a dance,” the loud voices of the public fade. Jack could only watch, green scales shine under the pale sun, the sand trembles in waves, the powerful tail moves with confidence and grace, strong muscles flex engaging in every movement, the staff elegantly holds like an extension of Chase, and his playful smile flashes his sharp fangs. Chase moves quicker than the eye could follow and Jack feels that if he blinks Chase might just disappear. “Please watch closely, this one is a treat.” 

It was aggression and patience, Beatel holds his pickaxe close and coils over his tail as Chase advances closer and closer. The anticipation built up in the audience as Chase prepares to attack, he raises his clawed hand and everyone sucks in a breath. 

Beatel uses the wall to propel his way up, out of Chase’s way, and higher than his weight should allow him. All eyes follow the naga swing off the floor, he lands on a large pole that creaks loudly -the pickaxe allowing him to hold on, and Eka gasps in complete disbelief. The end of the blue tail whips back and forth, and Beatel climbs as high as he can while the pole screeches in protest. 

Chase didn’t have enough time to turn around when Beatel jumped down, falling on Chase’s back and pushing him into the sand. People scream in shared pain and Jack screams louder. He felt like his blood turned into icy water, and his chest had been squeezed into nothing. 

“Chase!” Jack cries, and the naga lifts his head, spitting blood out. Jack would end the fight now, he has to. “By all celestial bodies, I have never seen such ruthless show of dexterity and-”

Beatel grips Chase’s hair and pushes his head down on the sand. The public that previously was too shocked to react, but now they boo at the heinous overkill, until the end of Chase’s tail hooks around Beatel neck lifting him up in the air.

“Have you ever seen anything like it!” Chase twists on the sand, and Beatel tries to claw his way out of Chase’s hold. The larger naga pulls him higher and higher until Beatel doesn’t have any place to support his weight, his entire body pulling him down by the neck. He gasps for air, and Chase swings his whole tail and throws Beatel against a wall. The public runs away and Beatel limp body falls to the floor. People were stuck between screaming and cheering, Eka hurried next to Beatel and lowered herself to look at him.

“In an incredible turn of events Chase had taken the lead,” He turns to see Chase slowly rising to his full height, blood spilling from his mouth and running down his neck, chest and staining the floor, “in a brutal display of strength. But, is it over? Is the greatest fight these humble walls have seen over?” Jack looks at Eka who signals that Beatel was out cold. He stomps on the floor startling the nymphs, “Beatel! Blue menace!” he stomps again, “Beatel!” Jack calls but as he expected, no response. “Beatel is out cold! Chase Young,” Jack could hear himself smile, “you have proven yourself in the eyes of the Eka house, in a fight that will be talked for generations. Because of your power, skill, and your fucking inability to stay beaten on the ground I’m proud to crown you The strongest warrior of all time!” 

Cheers explode in the arena and Chase grims proudly through the pain. He waves at the public like a well-educated diva before making his way to the edge of the arena.

Jack kneels to get closer to Chase and winces at the already forming pink and red bruises on his chest.

“I won!” Chase declares with a stupidly happy smile, his short messy black hair framing his face beautifully, making him look young. It was as if the fight had shed all the wisdom Chase gained overnight.

“You broke all your ribs! That is what you did!” Jack hisses but he couldn’t even fake being mad, he was too impressed. He was impressed at the fighting style, the damage done and received by both parties, and Chase’s satisfied smile. “Can you get out?” 

Chase groans as he climbs out of the arena. He gives up halfway through, sitting on the edge, and letting his tail hang over it. Jack comes closer to inspect the wound made by the pickaxe, it wasn’t deep. 

“I won,” Chase smiles, and Jack rolls his eyes. A doctor finally comes and orders Jack to leave. 

Jack stood around awkwardly for a few minutes, but without anything to do but worry, he found himself following a group of nymphs leaving the building. 

Some nymphs stuck around to talk about the fight, and others returned to whatever they were doing before.

Jack found company with Eka, who wasn’t interested to stay around as her doctors care for her guests. 

They walked out in silence, naturally finding a rock path to follow and calm down their nerves. Jack turned a few times and Eka caught him. 

“Chase will be fine, he was talking and the doctor said that there wasn’t any fluid on his lungs,” Eka adds when she sees Jack doesn’t appear more relaxed. “I’m sure he will heal in no time.”

“...I know. He is pretty sturdy, but, I still- I worried. He just takes and takes damage and-” Jack stops, this was the first time he saw Chase fighting without a reason. Until now Jack had assumed that the naga just dealt with his injuries, but today he was plain reckless. 

“Are you worried that eventually they won’t heal right or it will overwhelm him?” Eka hums and moves to a rock path that will take them to the main entrance of the west house.

“Maybe, I don’t know.” Jack crosses his arms. “I think I just don’t get him as I thought I did or maybe-” Jack stops, “I shouldn’t be saying this to you.” Jack had been dealing with his own baggage, and last night he added the emotional load Chase unpacked on him.

“Would you like to tell me?” She asks lightly, and Jack doesn’t move from his place.

“...No.” 

They stay in silence for a bit. A cold breeze brushes the short grass, and the pair contemplate the changing of the seasons. 

“Just now, the fight, as much as I dislike fighting, it was pretty fun.” Eka smiles, changing the topic. “Pretty smart too.”

Jack blinks at her, taken back by the sudden change, but is better than to stand in silence. “I wanted to throw Beatel off his game,” He admits, “he was just too excited to fight a guy twice his size.” Jack shrugs, not sure if he should say that but he has a feeling Eka would know if he lies. And he wants to build trust with her, it might come handy. 

“You were right to do so, Beatel is a formidable fighter with an astonishing record,” Eka nods, “and Chase, he is not to be taken lightly. I saw unmatched potential, but his techniques and approach to a fight need polishing. I haven’t seen a fight in a century” Eka says amused at herself, “and it was so perfect! I could taste their adrenaline. Oh, and the way they move, you called it a dance, correct?”

“Polishing?” Jack stops as Eka reaches to open the doors of the west house. Until right now, Chase has always been the most experienced and skilled fighter, but that might no longer be true anymore. 

“Of course, he is still young; a juvenile.” Ekan opens the door and any questions Jack had died in his throat.

The tall shelves dominate the room, bookshelves filled with tomes, books, scrolls, and artifacts. The walls were adorned with maps of different regions and small exhibitions, and gold constellations had been painted on the ceiling. 

“This is beautiful,” Jack steps in holding his arms close like he feared he could accidentally break anything. The room smells like paper and ink.

“Thank you,” Eka smiles, content at the building, “this is my life’s work.” 

Jack takes a few steps into the library and browses a row of books of the first bookshelf he lands on. The title of each book had been carefully painted on their spine by the same handwriting.

“This is you,” Jack gently pulls a book from the shelf, ‘ _ Compilation of Early Celestial Bodies Observations, by many,’  _ astronomy, “you wrote these!” Jack’s eyes travel over the room trying and failing to count how many books could the room hold.

“It would be wrong to take all the credit, the nymphs you see around help collect, write, and maintain them. And, travelers add information as payment for their stay. But, yes,” Eka takes one long breath, after eight hundred years of dedication to her library, it has taken an astonishing form, “this is me.”

Jack stays with his mouth open, unable to say anything when a glimmer behind him caught his eye. 

He puts the book back and turns to see an armor. 

“What is that?” Jack asks without thinking. He moves to the armor next to the entrance, it was an old design that Jack didn’t recognize, it was also incomplete but well kept.

“An armor Beatel found while digging. There is no record of a battle ever taking place in the prairie, but Beatel has found over 500. The closest and most recent war was the Valley -”

“What are those?!” Jack feels like new life has been breathed into him, he runs to the next exhibit that calls his attention. A small table holds precious pieces of jewelry: a comb, a broken crown, and multiple bracelets. 

“These? They belong to the Han family, not many know-” Eka started but Jack was moving to the next exhibit before she could finish her sentence. “Please slow down! There is plenty of time to explore the library.” 

Jack couldn’t slow down, he hasn’t been in a library, a real library in so long -not some mushy moldy book closet he found between travels. A real library. Jack hasn’t been to a library since he left the Gibbous clan, his clan. That simple thought sucked the joy out of his mind. 

The last place he was at before leaving forever was the library. At the time, he didn’t know it would be his last day in the safety of his clan. 

It has been a long time since he was in a library. 

A very long time indeed.

And-

It was overwhelming.

Jack could hear Eka approaching. He goes between two bookshelves and picks a book, any book will do.

Lady Eka turns in the corner just to find the previously ecstatic and happy elf frozen with a book open in his hands. Jack might be looking at the letters but he wasn’t reading. 

“Geography?” Jack forces himself to speak, “how many subjects do you have here?” 

“206 so far, but not all of them are equally distributed.” Eka stares at Jack. The elf radiated energy a second ago, now he could barely muster enough enthusiasm to smile. “Jack, are you already?” 

“Yes,” Jack answers immediately, “I’m just tired, I didn’t sleep um well last night. And today had been, um,” Jack looks at the green hardcover book, “a lot.” 

“Of course, sorry I didn’t consider that you might be tired. I’m failing you as a host.” Eka sighs convinced. “Come with me, let’s find you a place to sit.” 

Jack doesn’t object, he follows close behind, looking at the library with new eyes. The bookshelves were ridiculously tall and too far apart, the colors felt too dark and dull, the exhibits were not within the Gibbous code, and the golden stars painted on the ceiling were a cruel mockery. 

Eka takes them to a study area, a big round table with a few cushioned chairs, and a small stationary station. Jack unceremoniously drops the book on the table and takes a chair, not caring enough to notice Eka’s hurt look. Still, the naga orders for a tea set to be brought to them. She hasn’t had an opportunity to talk to Jack or apologize for threatening his life during dinner.

Lady Eka took the spot in front of Jack, but the elf was behaving so cold that she didn’t know how to approach him.

Jack opens the book and looks at the carefully scripted letters. They were perfectly inked as the work of a typewriter, but Jack could tell by the curved shapes that it was done by hand. He recognized the effort with kin admiration, after all, he wrote many books when translating them from language to another. Jack turns the page to find a drawing of a bird. 

“You draw too?” Jack whispers almost to himself.

“Oh no, I have never been gifted in the arts. Mono and Elias are in charge of most illustrations.” 

Jack nods and returns to look at the detailed bird with the blue feathers, but he is stuck back at the grand library of the Gibbous clan. 

They stay in silence again until the tea arrives. 

A pretty porcelain set, aromatic loose tea leaves (black tea, cranberry, and prairie tea), a jar of caramelized orange peels, orange honey, and a platter of meats and bread. 

The food seems to pull Jack from whatever faraway memory he had been stuck in. Jack closes the book, careful to not fold pages, and puts it away. He picks a few cuts of meat as a nymph serves them tea. Once the salty and fatty meat touches his tongue Jack’s attention is redirected to food.

“Mm!” Jack licks his lips and goes to steal another piece, then he remembers he is in company. “Sorry! I just notice I’m starving.” Jack apologizes returning to his seat.

“Don’t be; please, eat.” Eka pushed any hurt feeling away, certain that the elf was just hungry and tired. “I hope the 3 of us will be done with breakfast by now, but we haven’t even started it.” Eka laments she was hungry herself. 

“Is okay!” Jack puts on his best smile, now realizing that he was being rude to one of the most powerful beings he has encountered. “You couldn’t have known that Chase and Beatel would get into a fight -or that I would turn it into a championship!” Jack laughs rings pleasantly through the room, like an expert, he uses his acting skills to pass through an awkward moment. 

“I thought Beatel matured but he is still picking fights with nagas half his age,” Eka complains and picks a piece of meat with her claws. “I didn’t ask for much from him, just to not fight my guest.” 

Jack thanks his luck, picking food with your hands is normal to nagas,  _ unlike back home. _

“You two sound close,” Jack takes a piece of bread and the jar of orange honey and drizzles two spoonfuls worth on the top. 

“We have known each other for nearly 400 years. I consider him one of my closest friends.” Eka starts preparing their teacups, cranberry tea for her, and black with orange peel for Jack. 

“Did you two fought each other?” Jack adds three spoonfuls of honey to his teacup to Eka’s amusement.

“We did, it was closer than I thought it would get. Beatel stumbled into my territory by accident. He was scanning the area to expand his own territory and was surprised to find a neighbor. Beatel challenged me to a fight for the land. He is very versatile and quick to act, it was a difficult fight.” Eka remembers all those years back. “He was torn on my side for years,” she chuckles, they really annoy each other back then. But those years were behind them, they had learned to trust each other, yet he stayed after she asked him to leave, “but we learned to behave around each other. And you?”

“Mm?” Jack was caught biting into the spongy bread with honey spilling on the sides. He chews the delightful bite and licks the corner of his mouth, “Me?”

Eka barely suppressed a giggle. “Nagas, we are ...intense creatures, yet you are traveling with one.” She remembers Jack hissing at Chase just this morning, it was easy to see that they were close.

“Yeah, intense,” Jack takes a sip of tea to wash down the bread, “the traveling I mean, but not Chase. We crossed a desert, passed an Oasis and some deserted meadows, lived on a hill and, um, escaped a fire-”

“Did either of you start the fire?”

“I can’t recall. Anyways. All that is like four months!” Putting it all together, it was a lot. Jack stood in the same place for thirty-five years. “We work well together.” Jack got lucky that he found the only creature in the desert actually built to cross it and who has a sense of humor. And Chase got lucky that he found an elf capable of fitting any job needed. They both got lucky. “He, Chase, is quick to adapt, intense emotions but grounded by reason. Most of the time at least.” Jack tastes the sweet warm tea on a cold day, “He,” Chase was confident, even in doubt. He knew somehow he would pull true and it allowed him to face any obstacle. It was something Jack admires, and the more he learns about the naga the more incredible he appears. A positive self-fulfilled prophecy, it is something Jack desires. “Chase is amazing.” It was so sweet, yet Jack tasted something bitter. 

“And you?” Eka found herself smiling at Jack. It was obvious to her that the elf felt

something deep and intense for the naga, so big he might become lost in it before he can even name it. “What about you, Jack?”

“Me?” Jack swirls his tea and looks at the honey that has accumulated at the bottom. “I’m a moon elf from a little cycle clan. I found myself in the desert and followed Chase on his adventure. He-”

“How did you get yourself into the desert?” Eka chews in another piece of meat, and Jack puts his cup down. 

He looked at the food and up to a tapestry on a wall. He noticed there was no fireplace. Jack has a feeling there is no fire of any kind allowed here. 

“I bought a horse and made camp until I found Chase.” He feels uncomfortable. 

“How far did you travel? And, why the Calidi-Issimo desert instead of any other place?” Eka eyes some of the paper from the stationary.

“...Why are you asking me these questions?” Jack fidgets with his teacup, his fingers were sticky, and his tea was getting cold. “I know you care for Chase’s story, and I don’t feel bad or anything if that is what you are thinking.”

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t make myself clear. This library,” Eka straightens herself and looks over her reign, “is a compilation of information obtained from travelers over time.” She waits for Jack to nod in understanding. “You are a traveler, and I’m sure you must have so much to share. I know it’s prying into your life, but I hope you understand my cause.” 

“Ah, I, I see. No, I understand. I just forgot.” Jack rubs his face. 

“Did you think I only cared for Chase’s story?” Eka refills Jack’s cup.

“I -Yes. I did think that. You threatened him with my life for his story.” Jack brings the cup back to his hands. 

“Yes, that was wrong to you, but I knew it would be the most effective method,” Eka sighs, “and I hope you could be convinced by,” Eka sees Jack adding another spoonful of honey into his tea, “maybe a few jars of honey.” That seems to get his attention.

“You just have to say so!” Jack’s lips curl into a smile. “I would love to collaborate with. Sorry if I gave you a different impression, I just wasn’t expecting to be interrogated.”

“Of course,” the naga doesn’t mention that her questions were not intrusive yet, “I should let you settle in before I start-” Eka dips her hand into the platter to find it empty.

Both of them turn to look at the pitiful crumbs left of the one plentiful platter. 

“We eat it all,” Jack was still starving. 

“I planned a tour of my library and then a grand breakfast in my greenhouse,” Eka complains, “but Beatel had to come to defend me or something just as senseless.” 

Jack looks out of the window up to the sky.

“It’s past lunchtime by now!” He whines.

“Jack, let’s go back inside and enjoy a feast. Chase and Beatel can join us when they decide to behave.”

Eka moves to leave, and Jack follows.

They make a fast way to the exit. Lady Eka didn’t stop to show Jack anything, which was good for him since he didn’t have the energy to react appropriately. The building had quickly lost its charm, and now Jack could only see it as what it was not. 

Outside was colder than either remembers. The wind had picked up, and the temperature had dropped to a new low again. 

The inside of the house was warm. 

Some nymphs rest by a fireplace and Jack and Eka stand nearby until the cold has left their bones. It was around then when Dandy called them to the table. It was a surprise to see Beatel and Chase already sitting at the table.

The nagas sat in opposite places facing each other, both sporting new fresh bruises and injuries. Chase had multiple bloodstained bandages over his chest, back, and arms. While Beatel had a massive cold compressed over his nose, an arm sling, and one nasty looking black eye.

“Wow!” Jack couldn’t help to compare who got the worse beating, but it was hard to choose. “You two look worse than this morning!” Jack looks at Chase who avoids making eye contact. 

“Eka!” Beatel’s wide smile shines with pride. “I’m The strongest warrior of all time!”

“Congratulations, I hope it was worth it.” Eka moves closer to her friend and cups his face to inspect his injuries. 

“You lost the title?” Jack goes to Chase, who appears almost embarrassed. “How?” 

“He challenged me for it.” Chase turns to look at Jack. “I won the second round-”

“Technically!” Beatel interrupts.

“But I didn’t win the other matches.” Chase glares at the beaming naga.

“Others?” Jack couldn’t believe that those two continued fightings after the first fight ended. 

“He lost three fights, and I’m The strongest warrior,” Beatel picks a cup and raises it, “of all time!”

“Tsk. Enjoy the title; for tomorrow, I will rip it from your cold dead hands!” Chase picks the bowl of soup in front of them.

“Tomorrow?” Jack’s eye twitches. “Are you fighting again tomorrow?” 

“And most likely the day after tomorrow, and the day after that too,” Eka drops her hand and turns to address Dandy, “Why are these hooligans being served first?” 

“It was the only way to separate them, Lady Eka,” Dandy looks tired, holding a plate of baked potatoes and stepping over broken glass.

Another nymph sets a chair for Jack next to Chase, and Eka takes her place at the head of the table. 

The room was heavy and tense. Chase and Beatel refused to break eye contact, even while eating. Eka seems annoyed more than anything. And, Jack worried another fight could just break at any minute. Still, they had their dinner accompanied by the uncomfortable sound of silverware, occasionally hitting the plates instead of conversation until it was time to retire. 

They kept their goodbyes short. Eka and Beatel went left, and Jack and Chase returned to their guest room.

Neither of them said anything until the doors of their room were shut, and the fire lit. 

Jack lets out a loud dramatic sigh, the begging of a long rant, but he was distracted by a bowl in the vanity. The elf walks directed to it. The large wooden bowl was filled with a light green gel. He leans in to sniff it; it smells minty.

“Jack,” Chase takes a little pause, “are you okay? You were gone for a long time.”

Jack dips the tip of his finger on the paste, it makes his skin tingled, and he brings it closer for inspection. He stews his mind on the question.

“Am I the one cover in new bruises?” There was a bark under his words. “Chase,” Jack turns, he wanted to be angry, but he was feeling so many things at once he couldn’t concentrate, “what is wrong with you?!” 

Chase was taken back by that. He expected Jack to be angry, but not to say that.

“I-” the naga stumbles to find the right words, then he remembers. “You don’t get to talk to me like that!” He advances fast enough to be perceived as a threat by most, but not Jack. 

“How did you ended up fighting Beatel 5 times in a row?” Jack just crosses his arms and stares up to Chase.

“There isn’t a simple answer, Jack. The reasons that we fight had been a program in us from the day of our creation-”

“Did he dare you to?” Jack kept himself from rolling his eyes. 

“That’s not the point. These injuries will heal, and I will fight Beatel until I stop considering him a threat!” Chase hisses.

“Beatel is a guest and friend of Lady Eka. She is allowing us to stay here instead of killing us! Or kick us out with the hunters who are after you. Is fighting that naga worth the risk of losing Eka’s favor?” 

“Jack, you don’t understand. I can tell that he wants to kill me and if I give him a chance he will. I have to fight him!” 

They let that hang in the air between them for a moment.

“...Okay,” it was evident that fighting Beatel was not up for discussion, “just be careful.” Jack’s fingertip was numb, which was the perfect getaway topic. “Arnica and menthol,” He picks up the bowl and raises it to Chase, “pain relief medication.”

“Oh-” Chase was surprised at the sudden change, but there wasn’t much either one of them could say to change the mind of the other. He looks at the light green paste and feels lighter. “I should thank Lady Eka for her forethought.” Chase found himself saying. Beatel was a formidable fighter, and as much as Chase hates to admit, Beatel was better than him. He closes his eyes, briefly thinking how he would fight Beatel tomorrow, but pushes his mind to concentrate on the problem at hand, healing. The gel will help with pain for tonight, but he should clean himself first. “I need to clean myself.” 

“I would say!” Jack declares loudly. Jack couldn’t stop Chase from fighting Beatel, but he didn’t have to be nice about it. “Do you know when someone gets into a fight, and they are badly hurt, but they assure you that the other guy looks much worse?” Jack puts the bowl back on the vanity and turns back to Chase. “You are the other guy.” 

Chase felt his face lit up. 

It was humiliating to be defeated, much more by another naga, but Jack’s snarky remarks were plain embarrassing. 

He didn’t have an answer. 

“I will use the bathroom first.” He didn’t want to think about how Jack’s opinion of him had fallen.

“I’ll help. You can’t lift your right arm, can you?” Jack’s eyebrow raised judgmentally, and he noticed Chase had been eating with his left arm, his nondominant hand.

“He cut me under the armpit, partially slash a tendon.” Chase could appreciate the help even though it made him feel disgustingly vulnerable. 

“Ah, ow. Why would he cut you there?” Jack didn’t like that visual. 

“He was trying to immobilize me, make me an easy target.” Chase bitterly explains, it worked. Chase lost every single fight after his right arm got injured. 

“Eka said that he has a strong fighting history, whatever that means.” Jack tries to rub the frown out of his face and starts walking to the bathroom. 

“He is experienced. His fighting style changes quickly, he has perfect forms, yet some of the most unorthodox attacks.” Chase rants mostly to himself as he waits for Jack to open the door and prepare the bath. 

Jack pushes the doors open, pulls the needed ropes to fill the pool, and goes to find soaps and towels from the shelf. 

“Then how are you-” Jack was surprised to find shampoo and conditioner, small luxuries he had forgotten existed. Hair products, he hasn’t used them since he left that witch coven, and before that, since he left his clan.

“Jack?” Chase calls the elf, he stopped mid-sentence and has stayed quiet for a while. “Are you okay?”

“-They have shampoo in here!” Jack picks the bottles and goes to Chase. 

The naga slid around the pool and verified that those are shampoo. He picks the glass bottle, takes off the cork with his mouth, and sniffs it. 

“Orange and thyme,” The naga could forget the beaten he received and declare this a great day, “soap too!” 

“Oh, Chase,” Jack returns Chase’s bright smile, plus some soft giggles bubbling upon his chest, “I’m about to blow your mind!” 

Jack points with his chin to the jar labeled conditioner, and Chase’s mouth just falls open. 

The naga’s smile turns into a burst of intoxicating sweet laughter that Jack never imagined he could produce. It was an almost madding moment, in which all their troubles seemed small and manageable or simply not as important as the promise of a relaxing warm bath.

Chase hurries, taking off his bandages, careful not to break any stitches or open any wounds. While Jack takes off his clothes and leaves them in a drawer of the dresser -he was surprised to see his old clothes washed and folded in there already. 

When Jack returns to the bathroom, Chase is already in the pool. Jack picks a bar of soap and a towel and jumps into the pool. He carefully makes his way up, from the smooth scales to the bruised skin. Jack has to be delicate when washing Chase; there were many injuries concentrated on his chest. He could see the outline of fits right under his ribs. 

The naga doesn’t wince at the invasive touch of the towel, as much as the careful touch hurts, he knows this is as delicate as he could ask. Chase concentrates on the warm water, and Jack’s worried face. He counts the drops of water that hang on the tip of Jack’s ears before falling, the small waves that clash against the naked chest and caress Jack’s long back. Soon the pain became background noise, and he could focus on Jack’s surprisingly muscular thighs resting over his scales. 

Chase smiles as the elf tirelessly washes his chest, neck, and arms. There was something so appealing about Jack caring for him in this way. Yet, Jack’s eyes were distracted. 

“Jack?” 

“Mm?” The elf looks up and brings the foamy towel to Chase’s face. “Beatel kicked your butt.” 

Whatever Chase was thinking was abruptly cut off by pure shame. “He did not- I fought him. We are both formidable fighters, but at the end of tomorrow, I will be victorious!” 

“Aha,” Jack rinses the towel and uses it to clean Chase’s face, “how are you planning to fight him tomorrow?” Jack smoothes Chase’s face and until there is no more soap.

“He is hurt too,” Chase argues.

“But you are worse.” Jack climbs over the pool and sits behind Chase.

“True,” Chase has to agree, “but I have experience fighting while injured. I know how to change my forms to avoid further injury. I am willing to bet Beatel does not.” 

Jack picks the bottle of shampoo and pours the liquid into his palm. It makes sense, nagas are solitary creatures and only fight those who enter and threaten their territory. That can’t happen too often. 

“That’s a big risk in a bet,” Jack combs Chase’s hair, careful not to pull in the tangled ends. He massages the shampoo in the short length and the scalp. 

Chase lets a satisfied moan as powerful fingers expertly massage his head. It was so lovely to lay back on Jack’s lap as those long fingers care for him so thoroughly. 

“I admit,” Chase could fall asleep there, “it’s a dangerous habit.” 

“Don’t sleep here! Go to the water.” Jack lightly taps Chase’s cheek to send him to wash off the shampoo. The elf dips his hands on the water and picks the conditioner jar. 

He is lured to look at the naga. 

Jack hates the red bruises that cover most of Chase’s human body at the moment. The creamy skin was marked with angry bruises and long cuts, thankfully, his face was nearly intact. Chase has such a beautiful face. The almond shape eyes and long thick eyelashes frame the most striking golden irises. Jack could stare as long as he was allowed into those golden eyes, there were secrets barely hidden beneath the surface, confidence that made something in Jack shake and hunger. When Jack first saw the hunger within Chase’s eyes, he felt scared; he can tell Chase is starving for power, and he will eat up the world to satisfy his desires. Now, Jack observes the water, washing the foam from Chase’s black hair, caressing his high cheekbones and kissing him down to his jaw, over his lips, and down his neck. And Jack felt hope this man will eat him up too. 

Jack nearly falls into the water when he notices that Chase’s little smug smile. He has been caught staring again. 

The naga returns, feeling his previously hurt ego stroke back to health. He lands on Jack’s lap; he takes one short glance at Jack pretty dick before finding a comfortable place to rest his head. He closes his eyes to avoid making the elf self-conscious, and it didn’t work. 

“Conditioner.” That’s all he says.

“What part of ‘don’t sleep here,’ was confusing?” Jack complains, but he is already applying the conditioner to Chase’s hair. He tries to ignore Chase’s cheek nearly touching his dick. “Chase, how are you this spoiled when you didn’t get to enjoy much of the luxuries of a king?” Jack knows that Chase’s struggled to keep his kingdom running until the very end, and he doubts he would simply ignore all his responsibilities and pretend to be a spoiled kitten in someone’s lap. 

“Oh, this is a better treatment than I ever received as a king!” Chase laughs.

“You know this is because your arm is injured, right?” Jack plays forming curves in Chase’s hair. He laughs again.

“Let me enjoy this, Jack.” 

“Mm,” Jack massages Chase’s scalp and twirls the black strands into funny shapes, “I just feel so used~” Jack laughs, not particularly caring. He used to wash Perlen’s hair all the time as kids. The moon clan participates in public bathhouses, so it is not genuinely uncomfortable to Jack if anything is familiar. The thought was devastating; it was nothing, a true, a fact that Jack knew well. But it came and drained Jack of all his energy. His fingers became lax, and his eyes vacant. 

“Jack?” Chase felt the change immediately. He shifts under Jack’s touch to look at Jack, but pain shoots through his arm and chest and he finds himself accidentally leaning against Jack. Chase peels back from the elf so fast, water splashes everywhere, and Jack nearly falls in. 

“Oh!” Jack blushes to a bright red feeling the leathery feeling of conditioner on his stomach, tights, and groin. “-Are you okay?” Chase almost falls in and uses Jack as support.

“Yes. Sorry-”

“No, I mean-”

“I did not mean to use you!” Chase has never been in this situation. He had never bathed with a friend, he doesn’t even recall having a friend, but he knows that is not the behavior friends should have in a bath -if they were to share one. 

“You were falling, is not that big of a deal! Now I can say-” Jack stops, he shouldn’t say what he was going to say, at least not now.

“No, you were right.” Chase wipes soap from his cheek. “I have been relying on you too much, especially of late-”

“What? Because I washed your hair?” Jack felt a turmoil of emotions he has been fighting all day bubbling up. No, this is something he has been dealing with since he saw Perlen. Or maybe since he talked to Mada. Or- 

“Because I depended on you-” Chase couldn’t keep Jack safe, he couldn’t even defeat his opponents anymore. He depended on the mercy of others.

“Just wash my hair!” Jack lifts his hands up and Chase stops. “Just wash my hair when your other arm is better, and we call it even.” 

“... I don’t believe in ‘even.’” Chase stood there in the water, watching the pool become overflown and wash the tile floor under Jack. “One action does not invalidate another.” Chase has lost everything but he still has himself. He has unshakeable confidence that he will prevail. But little by little he has seen himself change. He has become weaker and needy. 

“Then wash my hair twice!” Jack stands up and jumps into the pool. The water engulfs him whole and he swims to the other side, around the naga, and then back closer to Chase. He resurfaces, his hair slick back, and his head clearer. “Today kinda suck,” he looks up to Chase, “it just sucked, but tonight -tonight is alright. Can we put a pin on whatever this is and just go dried by the fire?”

Chase looks at the small elf and nods. He was too tired for this.

They take turns washing under the waterfalls. Jack only has enough energy to use soap and Chase can’t offer to return the favor.

Jack goes to stop the water and looks at the overflowed pool.

“How do you think it gets drained?”

“Magic I suppose.” Chase didn’t spare much mind to it, it was not his problem.

“Of course, magic. How nice for them.” Jack ignores the mess and walks out of the bathroom. 

Chase follows a bit confused. He knows Jack resents his own troubles with magic, but he has never shown a dislike for those who could. But as Jack said, they could address all that later.

Jack goes to the dresser for pants and socks and picks the wooden bowl from the vanity. Chase sets some pillows in front of the fireplace, and both lay there. 

The fire’s crackling was calming, and the soft orange light bathed them with warmth. The elf carefully massaging the gel on Chase’s back, he could see the spot where Beatel landed that morning. He could recall the attacks he didn’t see, and tell more than he wanted to know. Chase didn’t have small cuts, they were closed fists or deep long cuts. It means that when Beatel chooses to use his claws, he doesn’t miss it. It means that he had control over the fight. Chase lays on his back, his tail wraps around the two of them, and Jack continues applying the gel. The front supports Jack’s theory. He also noticed that Chase has around the same number of injuries from any angle, Beatel wasn’t above attack from the back. 

“Jack?” Chase opens his eyes and looks at the very concentrated elf.

“Mm?”

“Why did your day suck?” 

Jack tenses for a moment, but he returns to apply the arnica gel. “I was tired, scared, and hungry.” He shrugs, but that wasn’t quite right either. 

“...Eka, she didn’t do something to get you upset, did you?” Chase wasn’t sure what he could do if he had to fight her. 

“No, no,” Jack remembers her actually trying to befriend him, “she was nice. She showed me her library,” Jack couldn’t think of something nice to say about it, “we shared lunch and she asked me to share my story too for some jars of honey.”

“Are you?” Chase relaxes, maybe Jack was just tired. He was tired, and the fire was warm and the pillow under him comfy and Jack’s hands were so perfect. 

“I have to,” Jack answers after a moment but Chase didn’t hear him. 

The naga falls asleep, and he stays asleep as Jack continues to care for each bruise. Then he too falls asleep on their little pillow nest. 

The fire continued to burn until morning, keeping the pair warm as the night grew colder. 

They sleep deeply, their bodies and minds try to soak in all the rest they could get in the short time, trying to make up for the lost time. But a night is just a night and it won’t last as long as they wish it would. Morning comes with a new knock at their door. 

Chase wakes up first, he wakes up early enough to watch the last of the amber cool down and uses the quiet moments of the morning for meditation. Jack stays asleep, hugging Chase’s tail until the door opens. 

A man, another nymph, enters rolling in a huge cart, it was as big as a table and full with breakfast food as well. He shyly bows and secures the cart near the fireplace, making it into a table. The nymph pulls a stool with a red cushion from under the table and sets it. Jack and Chase saw their mouth move, but neither could hear him. They asked him to repeat himself, but he simply bows and exits the room. 

Jack and Chase stare at each other, then the table, and untangle themselves from the pillows. The breakfast was the same as the first morning they spent at the Eka house. 

They looked over the food and walked together to the bathroom, the pool was emptied, and everything was cleaned. They went over the basics of hygiene with the cold water from the fountain, after Jack helps Chase apply bandages.

“It’s not good to be changing them so often.” Jack comments as he wraps the white cloth over an old injury in Chase’s stomach, “didn’t you get that at the duchess’ party?”

“Yes, they are taking longer to heal.” Nagas had accelerated healing, but the weaker they get, the longer wounds last. “I just need to rest and eat.”

Jack clips the last cloth and lightly pats it.

“Then let’s go eat!”

Their meal was fast and overall small. 

Jack was about to ask Chase about his small bites and measure sips of tea when he remembered a lesson he had to relearn multiple times when training at his hunting party. A large meal before a fight could have you throwing up at the first punch. 

Neither talks about the day ahead of them, but both had the feeling that it will be worse than the day before.

That feeling of dread only grew as they exit the room, walked the same path they did yesterday, and found themselves standing in front of Eka and Beatel in the garden. 

Beatel’s black eye was a light purple, any inflammation was gone, and his arm was free from the sling. 

The two nagas glare at each other.

Eka didn’t even attempt to stop them; she takes her place next to Jack and tries a casual.

“Good morning.”

“Morning, are they gonna keep this up until one of them dies?” Jack takes a few steps back and watches Chase and Beatel exchange a few words before starting their fight. 

“No, only until they can trust each other enough to back off.”

“SO until one dies.” Jack knows that as long as Chase is alive, he will continue to fight. The elf has never seen Chase back down from a fight, except for Eka.

“No, no, they just need to work it out.” Eka tries to reassure Jack as Chase and Beatel move further from them. “Hand to hand?” 

“Can you stop them?” Jack sees them circle each other like last time. He couldn’t appreciate the beauty of their movements. He could only think of Chase’s careful stand. 

Beatel attacks first, aiming to the right side, and Chase slithers back, barely avoiding him. 

“No, their nature compels them to fight.” She watches Beatel come closer to hitting Chase with every attack.

“Why? You and Chase are not compelled to fight!” Jack brings his fight up to bite his thumbnail. Beatel grips Chase’s right arm, a sickeningly gleeful smile form on his face, and he pulls the arm down. Chase screams and lowers himself to keep his arm from being ripped off. 

“When Beatel first appeared, he put out a clear signal, Jack,” Eka watches her friend force the smaller naga to the floor, “He said I’m _ going to kill you.” _

Chase twists himself on the ground until he is on top of Beatel, his hand firmly clasps around the other’s neck. Beatel wraps his tail around Chase’s chest, squeezing the bruised ribs until his captor loses his grip. 

“Shit!” Jack can barely keep up with the nagas fast movements. They attack and counter-attack so fast, but overall, Beatel controls the fight. Until one crucial moment, Beatel has secured a position on Chase’s back. He is tightly wrapped and has his hand on the other’s neck, but Chase hooks his claws under Beatel’s jaw. 

It was a long second. Beatel knew that Chase could rip his head off on the position, but he didn’t. The older naga, knowing he has been beat, untangles himself from Chase. The moment he is loose enough, Chase whips him off his back, and body slams him on the floor. The air was abruptly knocked out his lungs, a hand holding him down, and Jack cheers not very far.

Chase glances to the elf, Jack is screaming and jumping, and he has the huge smile he gifts Chase every time he wins a fight. When he looks back down Beatel has his claws resting ever so lightly over the tender flesh where his arm and forearm meet. A decisive cut to the cluster of veins could have ended the fight if Bearel pleased, but he didn’t.

Chase stared into those blue eyes; they were cold, calculative, and worried. In a fight, he rarely has the opportunity to observe his enemy’s eyes so closely.

Both opponents had the opportunity to kill the other, yet neither one took. It was, of course, out of respect to Eka -but it was still nice.

Slowly, Beatel closes his hand, and Chase releases him. 

They stand away from each other and share a mutual appreciation for the other. 

“It’s beautiful, is it?” Eka looks at Jack from her profile. “Trust is a foreigner to-” 

She stops and looks away. It was only for a moment, but it was enough for the men around her to notice.

“Is it the hunters?” Beatel asks and moves closer to her. “They haven’t left yet, haven’t they?” 

Chase and Jack share a tense silence. Of course, Eka would know that people were following them -the harpy even landed on her territory. But Chase assumed they would move on after they couldn’t find them. It has been three days now. 

“I have it under control,” Eka reassured her guests, “they just keep moving in opposite directions, and I’m a bit rusty. If anything, I’m thankful for an opportunity to practice.”

“Thank you for your protection,” Chase bows lightly, just now remembering that he hasn’t had a chance to talk to Eka about the hunters.

“Your ‘thanks’ are worthless,” Beatel glares, “what about you offer us some answers.”

“Beatel!” Eka starts, but Chase calls for her attention.

“Lady Eka, I would like to explain myself.” It was the very least Chase could do.

Everyone looked at each other, waiting for the other to take the next step, but it fitted for Eka to choose what to do. 

“Beatel, please show Jack around, but not the tapestries -I want to show him the tapestries. I’ll show Chase the library.” 

Just like that, they are separate into pairs again,

Eka leads Chase to the library, where they will stay until supper. 

Beatel and Jack stand awkwardly as the wind picks up. 

They didn’t know or like each other. Still, Beatel offers to show Jack around. Jack followed with no questions. He preferred to keep their interactions short. Beatel skipped the main house and went all the way to the east house. 

They walk through the main house, ignoring all the art and tasteful designs. They exit on the opposite side of the house, there was another garden, unlike the first one, this one wasn’t as welcoming. 

The garden connecting the main house to the east house was practical. There were no statues or colorful rock paths. It was a pebble lawn and a single wide solid rock path connecting the side door to the main door. 

Jack was surprised by the clashing of the east and the west house, but he didn’t ask any questions. The air was warmer and mushy. 

“Here is where the magic happens!” Beatel enthusiastically declares, and Jack responds to him with a forced smile. 

The move to the front door, it wasn’t as big or heavy. 

Then it hit Jack.

Unlike the library, the east house was warm with multiple fires going on, loud, with nymphs working in every corner of the house, and full to the rim with baths for bleaching and cleaning of wool, spinning wheels, long massive looms for the creation of fabric and more and more. 

“Woah!” Jack steps forward absentmindedly and is almost knocked down by a nymph running with a basket of blue yarn. The nymph whispers his apologies and keeps moving. Chase and Jack agree that they must be up to thirty nymphs in the property, but in the room the house alone, Jack could see at least fifty. 

“Yeah,” Beatel attempts to pick up Jack, so he doesn’t have to worry about walking throughout the busy room, but Jack recoils to his touch. They stiffly stand around each other before ignoring their palpable tension and continue walking. 

Jack has never seen anything like it. He has seen wool houses, but never one so lively. The nymphs run up and down and rush to work. Everyone was working, and everyone appeared doing something different. There were almost no walls, only large columns separating them into rooms -it allows them to move faster. 

Beatel didn’t do right by the east house, he showed Jack by glancing. He points at large pools where nymphs boil the wool, the spinning section. He didn’t stop by the loom -which Jack was more interested in. 

But that didn’t matter, because at the back, in a separate area was the biggest blacksmith workshop Jack has ever seen. 

They were four fire sources -all designed for different purposes, large iron benches, tools of all shapes and sizes hanging from the walls, and a huge anvil collecting dust. 

It was like throwing a fish back on the water. Jack regained his energy.

He excitingly picks tools from the wall and looks at the ovens, all filled with charcoal just waiting to be lit, and Jack’s hands itch to do so. 

“Do you want to light the oven?” Beatel asks from the doorframe.

“Can I?” Jack wasn’t sure if Beatel could permit him, but he will take it anyways. Jack takes off his wool shirt with the full sleeves, easy to catch on fire, and puts on a leather apron. 

“Of course, I didn’t know you were a blacksmith. You don’t have the built.” Beatel bites his tone at the end, not meaning to said the last part.

But Jack didn’t seem to mind.

“I’m not. I have worked with metal before. I’m great really but I never had a proper apprenticeship.” Jack finds some fire rocks and hits them over an oven. He was always curious about the metal workshops back at his home, but no one would let him try. The first spark flies followed by another. “I started some but I always ended up leaving a hurry.”

“Mm,” Beatel looks at the elf with a new understanding, as Jack unapologetically opens drawers and pulls out whatever he calls his attention. He finds gloves that fit a little too big but will do, an iron pot to melt scrap metal and misshapen needles. “Do you get in trouble a lot?” 

“I wouldn’t say that!” Jack laughs is sweet and potent, like honey wine, and he fans the fire growing in the oven.

“So none of the five hunters outside are looking for you?” 

Jack stops, “Five? Are you sure?”

“That’s why I came back. There were four hunters wearing the Xiaolin colors and a spying eye in the sky -I think it belongs to a coven but I don’t know which.”

“Why would you think-”

“Because it used moon magic.” Beatel interrupts and sees that little fire in Jack’s eyes died.

“She keeps finding me.” 

Nothing else was said. 

Jack concentrates on getting to know the workshop, ignoring Beatel’s relentless observation.

They don’t talk until it is time to go back. Jack kills the fire and returns most of the things back to their place, and before he can cross the door frame Beatel stops him.

“Jack, what do you want?” 

The question was familiar, in a way that it shouldn’t be.

“Slap my old teacher in the face with a crowbar.” 

Beatel waits for the punchline to that, but Jack was serious. So he elaborates.

“Are you an adventurer? Chasing after a trill. Or are you an opportunistic yet lost elf? Unsure of why he left his safe home in the first place.” Beatel’s eyes were cold and unforgiving.

“Are those my options?” Jack lets out a dried laugh and doesn’t answer. 

“I just want to know if I should be worrying about you too,” Beatel explains following Jack out. Their conversation now drowned by the work of the nymphs.

“No,” Jack whispers in a meal tone he hasn’t heard on himself for a long time.

DInner was stiffer than the day before. Eka and Chase were tense around each other. Jack and Beatel stayed quiet.

The only conversation done that night was between Chase and Beatel, both agree to fight each other tomorrow as well.

Once again, Beatel and Eka left, and Chase and Jack returned to their room.

Jack and Chase worldlessly drop themselves on the bed.  There were many things they have to say to the other, but they opted for silence. A comfortable silence that allows you to rest. Slowly, they gravitate close to each other, seeking warmth and comfort, and like that, they fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for your comments! :D  
> I have fun with this one, especially cause I'm trying to learn to write action.   
> I really want to play with both Jack and Chase experiencing like threats to what they consider to be their very identities. :)  
> This one was more challenging to write cause so far Chase and Jack have been together most of the time but now they get to spend time apart.


	12. Pity and Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is like two parts. The first part is Jack struggling to face his bottle up issues and emotions. And almost jeopardizing his relationship with Chase.  
> The second part is they getting drunk and doing one of those 5 things.

When Jack woke up, the bed was empty, and the fire was freshly lit -the logs were still more grass than amber. 

Jack pushes himself up, his arms hurt from overuse. He wraps the blanket over his head and walks on the tip of his toes to the bathroom. 

Chase was washing with their trusted washing bowl.

"No shower, eh?" Jack takes his place next to Chase, and redundantly begins to strip. 

Chase groans as a response and goes back to absentmindedly wiping his skin. 

Jack takes his towel and begins the process of washing himself. The water from the fountain was cold, and it made Jack shiver. 

Chase barely spares Jack a glance. Somehow, he looks more thoroughly beaten than he did yesterday.

"Did you and Eka fought yesterday?" Jack lazily scrubs his body with a wet towel.

"Mm?" Chase barely registers the question, still waking up.

"You look like someone wipe the floor with you." Jack stops to hear the answer.

Chase turns and looks Jack in the eye. "I wished she had," he splashes more cold water on his face and continues, "we just talk."

"Talk?" Jack feels an amused smile form on his lips, "are you sure? Cause you look like shit, and you have a way of always looking pretty."

"She wanted to know about my objectives now that my life's work has been reduced to sand. Where am I going? How am I gonna accomplish that?" 

"Oh." Jack was too familiar with people questioning his life choices, something he doesn't miss from his clan. But he keeps remembering. 

"And she doesn't take vague answers, Jack." Chase laughs, but it ends up sounding like a whine. "Because, apparently, 'carrying out revenge to those who wronged me and rebuilt a kingdom,' are not clear or realistic goals." 

"Ha! I was not going to say anything, but we are just figuring out as we go." Jack sits on the cold floor and looks at the blisters on his feet. He adds in a whisper, "it is not wrong to be directionless."

"I am not one to just wonder! I always have-" Chase stops, not point in dwelling on the past. He looks down at Jack, who seems to be living in his own mind. "No shower, either."

"My arms are killing me," Jack complains and then explains, "Beatel showed me the blacksmith workshop, and I played with different hammers for like three hours or-" Jack stops and frowns, "He saw me just hit something with a hammer for hours and didn't say a word."

"His presence did not bother you?" Chase tilts his head, his interest peak. Jack has a way with tools, and he is a novice inventor of some sort, but he doesn't know how to work with iron. Gramps was supposed to teach him if time allowed it. "I did not know you knew the skill."

"...I blocked him," Jack was totally immersed by the workshop, "I worked as an apprentice for a few months here and there. The first thing I was taught was to concentrate on my work -it takes only an instant to burn your own shop." 

"I see," Chase looks at his reflection, he looks at the dark circles under his eyes and fixes his hair. "Jack, what do you think of our host?"

"I think she is very generous," Jack leans back, surprised by the question -and by the fact that Chase cares enough to ask it. As it is, Jack has little agency between the nagas; Jack isn't strong enough to pose a treat, unlike Chase, and has been regarded as a guest, "a bit eccentric."

"'Eccentric,' I would have labeled her as sensible and pragmatic." Chase offers Jack a hand.

"She can be both. Eka created her own world, where she reigns with no real objection. She can demand whatever she wants at any moment, and she does." Jack picks his clothes from the floor and accepts the hand to pull himself up. "I have experience with plenty of eccentrics."

"... That's well thought of you." The naga hasn't thought of Eka in that way. Jack's insight rings true to Eka's words. "She told me yesterday that I am rushing and that I will make a mistake soon if I don't slow down. Pretty preachy." 

"She is old." Jack steps away, and Chase follows him after quickly rinsing their bowl.

"Nearly a millennium, 923 years." Chase rubs the bridge of his nose to try to fence a headache from spreading. "She was born after me, and still, she is my senior. I should hear her advice." 

Jack nods and moves to pick clothes from the dresser, these ones were lighter, so he has to use double layers.

They exchange information and try to create a map of the territory with their combined experiences. They come to the same conclusion they did last time; they must be cordial and buy time until the hunters move on, then pick whatever path is opposite to theirs.

A knock at the door brings a new nymph to drop the same breakfast. 

They take their places and pick their favorites. Chase loads in meat and eggs and watches Jack pour an excessive amount of honey on a loaf of bread. 

"There is no way you are gonna finish all that bread." 

Jack looks him in the eye as he takes his first bite.

"This bread is fresh!" Jack takes another bite and licks the honey in the corners of his mouth. "I haven't had fresh bread in so long!"

"This bread is at least a few days old," Chase chuckles and admires how easy it is to cheer up the elf. He felt like something has been bothering Jack, it has since the blue moon or maybe before. 

"Oh! So sorry, your majesty!" Jack does an overly dramatic bow. It makes Chase laugh. He leans in and takes a piece of bread, after lifting high as it were a show, Chase bites in it. It was far too sweet for his taste, but it was the sweetness he welcomes. 

They finished breakfast and left their room.

The way between their room and the west garden feels shorter and shorter each day. 

Chase is to meet with Beatel for yet another fight, and Jack is to meet with Eka for a tour.

"I wish I have Beatel." Jack whines, Eka was going to ask him questions -intimate, painful questions. She was going to pry in memories; memories Jack keeps trying to repress. "Do you think we can switch?" 

"No, I much prefer having an arm nearly ripped than being interrogated again." Chase shakes his head, though he has to do it again.

Beatel and Eka were already waiting in the garden, both stretching under the first morning rays. 

They separated in pairs, Chase and Beatel were calmer, and they decided to stretch before fighting. Eka and Jack watched them for a few minutes before leaving.

They move all the way to the east garden, talking about unimportant things.

Once they reached the east house, Eka began her tour. She explained to Jack that down south, they keep a large herd of sheep. They used the wool to make yarn and fabric. She walks him through the process of making yarn. Once the product is done, Beatel takes the yarn and fabric and dyes them. He keeps some as payment and returns the rest. The nymphs are the ones who create the beautiful tapestries and all the art. 

There was more to go through when a nymph holding a pair of scissors approached them.

Jack looks at the scissors the woman holds and then at Eka. He was surprised to find her looking at him.

"Elves tend to be able to communicate with nymphs since they both are so attuned with nature. But not you." Eka looks at Jack like he was a puzzle.

"What is she saying?" Jack asks instead of elaboration on that. Afterall, Eka already figured it out. He was an oddity. 

"She saw you at the blacksmith workshop yesterday and wants to know if you could sharpen her scissors." Eka is stunned by Jack's manners, but she lets it slide. "Jack, do you  **_ love _ ** fixing scissors?" 

"I can fix her scissors," Jack knows how to fix kinks in pots, sharpen scissors and kitchen knives. He doesn't love it but is what he knows. Plus, he might be able to cut his meeting with Eka short. He takes the scissors, and the nymph stays there.

"You better start now, she won't leave you alone until you are done." 

The three of them move to the workshop. Eka starts a fire while Jack looks for a sharpening stone. 

He prepares a place, stone, water, leather rag, and gloves. Sharpening a knife or scissors wasn't hard, it was just time-consuming. 

Jack looked at the scissors, they were dull but still in good shape. 

"I think I should be done in an hour."

"I'll leave you for the day," Eka stops at the door frame, "see you at dinner." 

"See you, wait-" Jack does a double-take. This shouldn't take him that long, but he would prefer to stay at the workshop than to talk about his life. "See you at dinner."

Eka nods with a knowing smile.

Jack puts the gloves on, they fit a bit big, and he begins cleaning the blades. 

The nymph seems to have left, which best suits Jack.

He takes his time cleaning the metal, scraping any rust, and feeling their weight. Jack unscrews the pair of blades and finds himself smiling. He wets the metal and files the blade against the rock, slowly, carefully like he was asking permission. The sound and the movement of the wet metal against the stone made something in Jack move. It was electric and powerful like a storm. Jack forgot his arms hurt as he pulled the blade back and filed forward again. The stone wasn't properly soaked, so he has to add water to avoid creating a spark. It was such repetitive action, yet different each time. 

Jack has to keep his hands steady to maintain the angle, and he keeps his work until the side is shiny and smooth. He raises the blade and examines the edge. 

Jack returns to file the other side and doesn't stop until he is satisfied. He repeats the process with the other half. 

The twin blades are lovingly placed on the table, and Jack looks disapprovingly at the screw that previously held them. He looks through the drawers and finds multiple containers, tools, and screws. 

Jack opens the containers to find a bitter liquid, a white powder with silverfish crawling all over and salt. The elf smiles; he picks a bowl and mixes equal parts of vinegar, flour, and salt. He uses a small old rag to generously cover the metal with the paste and scrubs. 

It was cathartic to clean the metal, to take the old and make it new.

The hour turned into three hours, but it yielded a beautiful shiny perfect pair of scissors. 

Jack uses his apron to clean the leftover and looks at the scissors with a sense of pride. 

The woman, who appears from nowhere, takes them from his hand. 

"Hey!" Jack crosses his arms and puffs his chest. However, he quickly changes his attitude when he sees the nymph's happy smile. She opens her mouth, but Jack can't hear her. "You like it! This is my best work, um ever, I suppose. I'm assuming you are calling me a master and an expert," Jack smiles smugly, "and I can just humbly response to your praise, your welcome." 

The woman jumps and nods, like those were the words she would have used, and Jack smiles back.

"Oh, it wasn't a problem at all. I always like the opportunity to do something. Something I'm actually good at-" Jack feels someone poking him in the back, he turns to find seven nymphs standing in a messy line -all holding scissors. A few more nymphs lining up outside the workshop. "Oh, there is a line. Okay," a new pair of scissors are placed on his hands. "I guess I can do a few more…" 

Jack repeats the motions, he places a stone to soak on water overnight (because there is no way he can finish today). And keeps going. 

Like the first time, everyone leaves to let him work and magically re-appears when he is done. 

He was about to start with the third pair of scissors when Dandy came to pick him up. 

The nymph pushes the others away and reprimands those trying to exchange their scissors for the one Jack is currently working on.

Dandy guides the way and pushes others who try to stop them. They all attempt to call for Jack, but the elf can't hear their voices. They push the doors open, and when they close, Jack couldn't hear even their steps as they leave the east wing. 

"Dinner is ready." Dandy turns smoothing non existing wrinkles from his clothes. "I'm sorry about them. We hadn't had a blacksmith in decades." 

"It's no trouble. I like that sort of work." Jack felt relaxed there. He didn't even know he has been tense all this time, but then again, it would be weirder if he was okay with everything that is happening. 

"Do you?" Dandy sounds a bit too curious.

"Yeah, I could use the practice." Jack shrugs, and Dandy turns to face him.

"Could you squeeze a few pots from the kitchen?" He wasn't entirely blocking Jack's way, but he was making him stop.

"There is a line," Jack cocks his head, already savoring even the smallest taste of power.

"Yes, there is a line, but I'm the head of the harem. I can exchange certain goods for your work." Dandy gave him a sweet, sweet smile.

"I will keep that in mind." Jack walks around him and feels a little spring on his step.

The sunset was nearly over, the wind picked up the cold, and Jack's arms were sore with use, but all felt right. Jack could feel his mind slowly slipping into a familiar dark place, but, for right now, everything was right. 

The main house was warm with ever-burning fires, and the dinner could be smelled throughout the house. 

Jack finds Chase loitering by a fireplace. 

"Chase!" Jack runs to meet him, he stops a step away and scans the naga for injuries. The same old bruises were changing from red to purple, but nothing new. "And, you still have both arms!" 

Chase lowers himself nearly to the floor when he sees Jack.

"I would prefer it off," Chase laughs, and Jack sits next to him, enjoying the fire, "Eka came to see us fight after dropping you off at the workshop. She asked a simple question about my form, and suddenly I was performing my fighting stands with Beatel and Eka as critics." 

"I always thought that your form was perfect." Jack stretches near the flames, and Chase watches the fire burn.

"So did I." He lets out slowly. Chase has always been proud of his skills, he knew training is a constant exercise, but he never knew of his many shortcomings. 

Dandy calls for them, and they go to join the table.

The main dish consisted of goat stew, and the main topic of interest was fighting styles. Jack knew a few, but he decided to stay out of the conversation. The elf quietly notices that the aggression between Chase and Beatel has diffused, and so has the tension between them. They were getting along. 

Fleeting jealousy stung his side; Beatel would make for a more competent traveling companion. But as quickly as it came, Jack could dismiss it. Chase has vocalized his appreciation of Jack enough times for the elf to believe it. 

He noticed Eka looking at him a few times, but she, thankfully, never said anything. Jack wasn't shy, but he felt out of place, yet like he had been in that situation many times before.

Their meal was less awkward than the day before, but all parties were still happy to part ways. 

Jack and Chase make their way to their room and close the door behind them. 

They drop themselves on the bed and stay a few minutes in silence. 

"I did not know you were a blacksmith," Chase's eyes were half-closed, and his tone wore. 

"Not by trade," Jack blushes a bit, "I never finish my apprenticeship. I always end up running away before I could move from the basics." 

"You will be good at it," Chase hums, remembering Jack's woodwork back at the cave, "you have good hands." 

Jack smiles and snuggles close to Chase. "I always wanted to build my own stuff," he admits.

"Like the watch."

"Yes, but bigger. Newer, more amazing!" There was untapped energy in Jack's voice.

"What do you have in mind?" Chase chuckles. 

"I. Well, I don't know yet. But I'll know it when I -um, think of it." Jack trails off, feeling a bit dumb. He thought that he wanted to do magic, but he had no talent for it. He hoped that alchemy would be where his heart waits, but it was another dead end. Jack wanted to try metalwork, but something deep in him warms him; that's _ not it.  _ "Since when did you and Beatel become friends? You guys look pretty chummy at dinner." __

"HA!" Chase wakes up, "he criticized each of my stands and attacks for hours!" he looks down at his many bandages. Chase has never been more embarrassed than to have an older, more skill fighter dissecting his every move. He has never felt inadequate. "However, tomorrow, Beatel is going to show me his fighting style. He trained in Hung Gar style." 

"Sounds fun." Jack wasn't sure why he hated that Chase didn't deny them being friends. It wasn't as if Chase could only have one friend. 

"Yes, I am looking forward to it. You should stay tomorrow and watch." Chase wraps his tail around them, unaware of Jack slowly distancing himself. 

"Maybe." Jack reaches out for Chase's hair, the naga smiles and nearly purrs to the touch. "I have work waiting for me."

"Just an hour," Chase pulls Jack closer, "sharpening scissors shouldn't take long." 

Jack doesn't answer, and he doesn't flinch, he just stays quiet until they both fall asleep. 

The next morning, Jack didn't feel like talking, and Chase was rushing. They cleaned themselves and ate in silence. 

They left the room in a hurry. 

The naga hasn't had the opportunity to learn a new fighting style since he was a child, and he hopes he can add a few techniques to his own arsenal.

Jack follows close behind until they meet once again with Beatel and Eka. 

The nagas distance themselves and begin stretching, Jack joins after Chase signals him to. 

Jack felt each muscle in his arms whine in dull pain. 

It was like being back at his training days, but different. When Jack was young, he belonged to a hunting party, and they trained together. It was hours and hours of rigorous training. In an attempt to build comradery, the hunting party was only allowed to leave for the day after every member had learned the stand. Jack held his group back until sunrise so many times.

Beatel takes his place in the center and starts a few simple movements. After they observed his quick jabs, they joined him. It was just like in Jack's training days, he was surrounded by people performing the movements correctly. But it was different too -no one bothered to correct his form. 

Chase and Eka were obviously doing it wrong every time Beatel turns to look at them, and if Beatel offered any criticism, Eka would do even worse. The pair play with each other, first just talking, but it soon escalates to a playful sparring section.

Chase approaches Jack. 

The elf hurries to correct his form the best he can, but the naga lowers down with a huge grin on his face. Jack lowers his fists and smiles back. That big sharp and dangerous smile is reserved for fighting. 

"Little elf, keep your fists up." Chase slowly circles Jack and flashes that dangerous smile again. 

"What? NO! Chase, do you want to kill me?" Jack hops over the tail without any real concern for his well being, but Chase follows him. 

"Jack! Fight me," Chase taunts like a child asking for attention, "fight me!" 

"If I fight you, I die!" Jack laughs at the absurdity of the situation. A colossal snake was chanting 'fight me,' and Jack could just walk away. 

"So, fight me!" Chase's laughter was so light, and Jack found himself sharing it. "You have to, Jack!" 

"Do I?" Jack steps back and sizes Chase up. He was an impressive naga, over eight feet tall with a thirty-two feet long tail of pure muscle trailing behind. "Why should I?"

"Because the old world dictates it!" Chase says in such over the top fashion, Jack can only laugh, and then he looks behind them -Eka is pinned down by Beatel on the floor. 

"I care not for the old world!" Jack smirks before jokingly asking, "does the king order me?" 

"The king implores you," Chase moves closer, and Jack puts up his fists. A messy form and weak stand, but he was ready.

"Then please forgive me, your highness, I'm gonna kick your scaly ass!" Jack throws the first fist, and to his surprise, Chase actually moves out of the way. "Hey!"

"What?" Chase appears behind Jack, "you didn't think I would make it easy for you, did you?" Chase punches the air next to Jack, slow enough for Jack to notice and move out of the way. 

"Yeah!" Jack throws another fist. This one lands, and Chase backs out but 'recuperates' immediately. "I thought you were just going to, um, check the strength of my punches." 

"Where is the fun in that?" Chase sounds absolutely delighted, "fight me, Jack. fight me with everything you got."

It was a challenge. A challenge: Jack didn't know if he would raise it, but he wanted to try. 

"You ask for it!" Jack allows himself to be reckless in the safety of their bond, he attacks without restriction. 

Soon both of them settle in a rhythm. Jack avoids the punches, and even if he couldn't, Chase only uses enough force to lightly push Jack down. And Jack gets to use as much force he wants. It was freeing to shift all his attention to such simple motion like a fist, a step back, and an opportunistic punch. 

Years of combat training slips out his back like water over a stone, and the elf lets the experience of hundreds of lost fights guide his body. 

The elf jumps from place to place, trying to not trip over the tail that keeps closing in on him, and punching with enough force to hurt his knuckles. In an unexpected counter, Chase captures the fist and lifts it up. 

"Undercut!" Beatel screams from a safe distance.

"Bite him!" Eka cheers next to Beatel.

Jack was surprised that the other nagas would go as far as pretending Jack had a chance at all, but he was inspired to use his free arm to attack. Chase captures his hand with ease and brings it up with the other. The elf looks up to see both his wrists held together by Chase's clawed hand, and the naga's smug expression -as if capturing Jack was a hard task. Jack let out a defeated sigh and was about to accept his defeat, but the small audience cheered him on.

"Kick! Kick him!" They both chant, and Jack felt a rush he hasn't before.

Jack pushes his feet against the ground to reinforce his jump and double-kick Chase's tail. He felt the naga flinch against the hit, and something spark within. Jack was prepared to do it again, but Chase raised his hold on Jack higher, forcing him to stand on the very tips of his toes. 

Jack tries to wiggle out of his captor's grip, but the fight is over. Chase leaned closer until his face was inches from Jack's. 

"Any last words, little elf?" Chase whispers in a low voice while flashing those dangerous fangs. 

"Be gentle," Jack blushes and tilts his head back dramatically. 

"I will be," Chase comes closer and open his mouth-

"Woah! Woah, what are you doing?" Jack swings away, and then unwillingly swings back. "Put those beauties away!" 

"You lost Jack, I have to bite you," Chase explains, and Jack can tell from his tone that it is not up to discussion, "if I don't, then we can't fight again." 

"Okay, but if it hurts, I'm gonna scream so loud you are gonna suffer permanent hearing loss." Jack warms, and Chase gives an understanding nod before pulling Jack's collar down with his free hand.

"It will heal." Chase bits down as softly as he could. Jack felt the tip of the fangs touch him but not break the skin, the hot mouth leisurely rested on the hidden space between Jack's neck and shoulder, and the forked tongue tickles the sensitive skin. The naga released his hold on the elf, and Jack's hand found their rightful place buried in Chase's black hair. Chase pulls back and whispers against the small wet spot he created, "now, that wasn't terrible," he straightens to see the elf furiously blushing, "was it?"

Jack giggles as a response, he then puts his hand over his mouth, embarrassed and excited -he wasn't sure to be thankful or angry at the pair approaching them.

"That's your bite?" Beatel peeks over. "I wouldn't even call it a nibble!" 

"Jack, you wasted an opportunity to run!" Eka shakes her head.

Chase stays quiet for a moment, still glued to Jack as he expects the elf to say something. Of course, he couldn't let Beatel bad mouth him either. 

The bicker between each other, and Eka shows Jack the bite marks on her arm. It was a nasty mark with an indentation of each tooth. The elf hugs his stomach and sees the red and inflamed cuts; the swelling quickly increases, closing the wounds and then fades. In mere minutes the injury heals what it should in days. 

"Is that healing magic?" Jack has heard of healing magic, a rare practice -even more so than correctly done love magic.

"No, no. I'm by no means that talented." Eka caresses the still sensible skin. "It's accelerated healing."

"I have never seen one so 'accelerated.'" Jack hums, curious. 

"Well, nagas healing depends on many factors. The biggest ones being their current health, diet, and the magic available in their territory."

"Oh," Jack looks at Chase, the naga is lacking at all three, "I supposed that can be applied to other creatures as well." 

"And you?" Eka's question about Jack's healing abilities was obvious, but she could see that Jack would not answer it. So she tried instead -"why didn't you use magic during the fight? We are physically weaker than our opponents, magic is our best weapon." 

Moonlight magic has many similarities to illusions barriers. Eka attempted to related to Jack, who keeps distancing himself from her.

Jack felt an old knot in his stomach jump to his throat. The elf almost forgot how it felt, having to explain his abnormality again. Jack explains how his low tolerance for magic could only allow him a single basic spell, and he sees Eka's expression gradually darken from understanding into a single pitiful glance. 

Jack excuses himself and heads back to the workshop, after agreeing to fight Beatel tomorrow and meet with Eka afterward. 

The elf takes long steps to the east house. 

He touches the spot where Chase 'bit' him and tries to concentrate on the good thing and not the rest.

Jack didn't have to open the door, some nymphs opened for him. Others offered him snacks of fresh vegetables, cups of warm wine with orange slices and cinnamon. He is guided by a small hoard of people to the workshop, but they don't enter it. Jack noticed that they won't bother him in the room, he also saw the roaring fire. He doesn't question it and begins to work. The process of repairing scissors was more painful with his sore arms, but he still finished three pairs of scissors using the wet stone. Every time he finished one, the owner would appear, and they would have a conversation in which Jack spoke for both of them. Immediately after, a new pair of scissors in need of his attention would substitute the old ones. He didn't have to think about the many things he couldn't do, like fight or cast two spells in a row. Jack could concentrate on the way the metal transforms under his hands. 

Jack kept it up until he was called for dinner.

The heat of the fire and the movement of work have undusted the workshop. Jack takes one of his shirts off and uses it to wipe his sweat. The light tickles the air in the workshop, similar to how the sun bound with the desert day. Similar to how his exhausted body felt to his exhausted mind. It all felt so familiar, yet Jack prefers one much more than the other. 

The elf enters the dining hall to find the three nagas already deep in a conversation. He didn't want to talk to them. Jack hope all of them have the decency to allow him to quietly sulk after sharing one of his most significant flaws. He expects all of them just awkwardly ignore him as they clumsily try not to talk about Jack's grievously absence of magic. 

But as soon as they see Jack, they ask him a question.

"Jack!" Eka claps her hands, "you are a more unbiased party; biting, is it a foundation of all fighting styles or just another attack?" 

"What?" Jack snorts at the question, "another attack!" He added when he noticed that the issue wasn't a joke. 

"What a surprise!" Beatel raises his arms in exasperation. "Another young thing disrespecting the very basics of every fight and the core of every warrior!" 

Jack sits next to Chase and gives him a confused look. "What is going on?"

"We are talking about the importance of having a good bite," Eka explains.

"Eka and Beatel insist that you are not a fighter unless you are a biter. I, wholeheartedly, disagree." Chase adds, and Beatel hits his fist against the table.

"Jack! How is your bite?" 

"My bite?" Jack looked at the food, he was starving and did not understand the nagas' fixation with biting. "I get by." He shrugs, hoping that it would be enough to pleased Beatel.

"What Does That Even Mean?" Beatel hits the table, and his plate clicks against his cup.

Jack shrinks on his chair, but Chase and Eka turn with interest.

"As you bite along, could you win a fight?" Eka asks suspiciously.

"Or, your bite is the last-ditch effort?" Chase likes Jack's mouth. The elf has pretty plush lips and could quickly disarm a distracted opponent. 

"All of you are too into this," Jack puts his arms up, unconsciously trying to push the attention away. He didn't notice, but he mentally prepared for a completely different line of questions. "I had a weak bite, okay!" he tries to laugh it off, "I'm-" Jack suddenly remembers the dreaded days he was forced to spar with the members of his party, "I'm not much of a fighter at all." Jack's mind was still stuck back at his training days. 

The bright sets of eyes set on him with even more interest. 

They didn't believe him. 

"I fight if I have to!" Jack learned after years of getting his ass kick that he should run before attempting to fight. But -If pushed to a corner, he could be a dirty fighter, a biter. "...I bite if -why are you all interested in this?!" 

He hated that he had to keep remembering things from such a long time ago.

"Because we are fighting tomorrow," Beatel tilts his head in confusion.

"Uh?" Jack agreed to fight Beatel. It was a quick, thoughtless decision to hastily leave. 

"You agree to fight me, and I'll bite you if I win!" Beatel declares loudly. 

"You are gonna- I don't want to die!" Jack stands up, his chair falls back, and he is about to refuse to fight, but his brain stops. " _ 'If' _ " 

Beatel clears his throat. "I think you are a biter." He says instead.

"I doubt you have a weak bite, Jack" Chase felt Jack's irritation.

"What is with the biting that has you three-" Jack looks at Eka, who has been silently observing them, "two obsessed?" 

"Biting is a foundation for fighting, like crawling, is to walking -if that helps." Eka softly explains. Beatel looks at her like she said something odd. But Jack knew it was the way she said it. "Before you learn how to strike, you know how to bite. And when your claws fail, your fangs will not." Eka looks at the red irises and tries to encourage the elf. "Your neck and mouth have extraordinary strong muscles, and teeth are sharper than you ever expected. Half of a good bite is the commitment, the other half is knowing where to bite." 

"Oh," Jack could hear the kindness in her voice, and for some reason, he resents her for it.

"A bite is also seen as a last possible resort," Chase adds, "doesn't matter the skill, when cornered all fighters will be made into biters. It's simple and true." 

"A bite is... desperation," Jack's shoulders drop. He couldn't fight or use his own magic, but he could always bite if it came to it. 

"Desperation? Yes, but it's the will to continue the fight -to continue to live. That's why we end our fights with a bite, it is a way to honor our opponent by using the most fundamental of attacks." Beatel picks some food, and soon everyone remembers their appetites.

Jack didn't say much during the rest of the dinner. He thought that the nagas would quickly dismiss him, but they insisted on including him in their shenanigans. As unwelcome as it might be, they each had shown him kindness in their own way. The feeling felt heavy on Jack, and he ate small bites until they parted ways again. 

The night was gone in a blink. He showered with Chase and slept until the next day.

He had a dream.

It was a nice dream about the moon. Like the one, he had the day before the blue moon. Like the first one, he was alone. He stood in front of the Eka house, the windows glowed with orange light, and sweet smells came from it, but somehow Jack knew that it was empty. The dead grass crunched under his feet, and he looked up to the vast night sky. The cloudless horizon was more prominent than Jack had ever remembered, and the moon was there. She wore her crescent form and heavily hung from the sky. 

She was calling him. 

_ Dance with me, Jack. _

Jack was pulled out of the bed by the end of a green tail. 

"Hey!" Jack shakes his leg, but Chase just gives him a little smirk before pulling him entirely off.

"Oh, you are up!" He says from the table, drinking tea.

Jack stands up, lightly kicks the tail, and walks to the table. "Not by choice." He takes his seat and picks the teacup in front of him. Jack tastes the sharp ginger and reaches for the honey. "Chase, if Beatel attempts to kill me, would you hold him down or something?" 

"No." Chase judgingly eyes the third spoonful of honey being dumped into Jack's cup.

"...What do you mean 'no'?!" Jack drops his spoon on his cup and looks at Chase.

"I wouldn't disrespect you by interfering in your fight." Chase takes a bite of his bread with meat.

"Please tell me you are joking," Jack stares at the naga who happily chews his food. 

"I am not," Chase says after a moment, and lets out a short laugh at Jack's terrified expression, "Jack, it is a sparring section. You will be fine."

"Okay!" Jack lets out a long sigh and looks at his breakfast. He should have a small meal.

Jack drank his tea and ate some dried meat. Then the pair left to the west wing again.

Again, Beatel and Eka were waiting for them. Jack remembers that he is supposed to talk to Eka after fighting Beatel.

"Why did I agree to this?!" Jack whines before they meet the other pair.

"You wanted to leave and said whatever it would get them to shut up faster." 

"Oh, yeah." 

"Jack!" Beatel waves his arms like they were very far away. "Hurry!" 

"Stay moving and attack his back," Chase whispers before falling back and giving space to the pair.

"Wait!" Jack noticed Eka and Chase clustering together. "Now? No small talk or-"

"No," Beatel was a few meters from Jack, "now we face each other." And with no more warning or delay, Beatel whips his tail next to Jack breaking the ground.

The elf jumps out of the way, nearly tripping over some rocks. He attempts to put distance between them, but Beatel quickly catches him. It took no time for the more experienced male grab Jack and drag him on the cold, wet floor. Jack trashes furiously, but he is easily pinned by clawed hands on each arm. The naga smiles, and unlike Chase's, it holds no charm, only hunger. Beatel widens his mouth, and before he could bite Jack, a loud scream interrupts everything. Everyone, Eka next to Chase, Beatel pinning Jack, and Jack pinned against the muddy floor, turned to Chase. 

The naga screams again as his face becomes redder, and the group stares in confusion. It was a cheer.

Jack remembers the first time Chase fought in front of an audience and how lost the poor man had been. Jack cheered him on, louder than anyone else. 

Beatel smirks at the odd behavior, and Jack doesn't waste time. The elf brings his legs up, and in a smooth motion, he kicks Beatel using the ground as support. The snake didn't expect and fell back. He tries to regain control over Jack, but it was like holding a rabbit dog. The elf was small, but he had a mighty kick, and he trashed back and forth until he slipped out of Beatel's grip. 

There wasn't an audience, but Chase along was making enough sound to project one, and Jack is an entertainer. 

He stops, bows, and smiles like he isn't scared shitless. Jack isn't sure why, but Beatel is wary of him, and he can use that. 

Jack was carrying two knives with him, but he wasn't stupid enough to use them and escalate the fight. But he could use them for something else.

"These clothes were just washed," Jack starts a conversation, Beatel doesn't engage, but he allows Jack to take off his dirty shirt and drop it on the ground. Beatel moves closer, but Jack raises a single hand. "Just a moment," he pulls both of his knives at once. The selenite knife was dull from use, and the old one had never been sharp. Jack kneels and digs them on as deep as he can on the ground, damaging his shirt, "I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"Ha!" Beatel takes the bait, "you devious elf, and I was beginning to think you were going to let me down." 

Jack didn't answer. He didn't know why Beatel thought him dangerous, but it was beyond flattering. The next part was a calculated risk. Because of their large and long bodies, Jack has noticed that nagas take longer making turns, and Beatel had particular difficulties with tight, fast turns -that's how Chase told Jack he got to defeat him a few times. The elf was used to the speed and size of nagas and knew how long he needed it before jumping to the side, never back, forcing Beatel to make turn after turn. 

Their small audience loves it, they cheer for Jack as people cheer for the underdog, fully aware that they are not gonna win. 

For a moment, Jack understood the appeal to fighting. It was exhilarating to wait until the very last minute before jumping out of the way and putting all his strength in a single punch or kick. Jack's heart was beating to a fast and comfortable pace of a hunt. 

Beatel didn't even flinch at Jack's attacks, while Jack would be forced to step a few steps back after a single hit. 

After every misstep, Jack could hear whispers of his inevitable fall, it reminded him of his training days at his clan, but every comeback was accompanied with re-energized cheers. He fell down at the same spot where it began, and scooted under the shirt he dropped before -Beatel eyes the knives next to each side of Jack and smirks. 

"You should have kept them on you," he presses on the hilt of both knives, burying them deep in the ground, "you knew you were going to need them."

Jack wiggles himself out, and Beatel grabs his shirt. It was then that Beatel noticed that knives pinned the discarded cloth down, and his arm was 'trap.' He looks at the fabric and laughs wholeheartedly, it was such a hopeful and straightforward trap, but it was useless. Beatel lifts his arm to free himself to find that the fabric wouldn't rip and that the knives were buried deep. 

Jack confidently grabs Beatel wrist to 'secure he couldn't escape,' and awkwardly, he bites the hand. The elf noticed that once an opponent is pinned down, the fight ends after the first bite. He looks up to find those blue eyes staring at him in calm silence. There were no cheers or demands. It was just silence, and Jack recognized something in those eyes. 

"That's not how it works," Beatel lifts his arm with more strength than before. The knives are pulled out. "Temporarily restraining your opponent is not enough to win a fight," he grabs Jack's arm and lifts him to eye level, letting Jack's body dangled freely. "Just like a clever mind without the correct tools is not enough to execute a plan." Jack could see his terrified face in those ocean blue eyes -they remind him of the moon. "It's done now." He looks at Jack with pity.

Beatel bites Jack much harder than the elf expected, and he screams in agony while the audience watches in silence. Then the winner delicately lowers the loser to the floor.

Jack holds his injured arm as everyone closes in. They all shared that look in their eyes that Jack hates.

Chase attempts to inspect the injury, but Jack shushes him away. 

Jack now knew something more painful than walking up to a fight, as everyone knows you are gonna lose. Jack knew something more gut turning than watching every member of his party sit in grudging silence as Jack loses another fight. Jack knew what it was to hear cheers gradually grow weaker until everyone had lost their enthusiasm and finally saw him as the pitiful excuse of an elf he was. 

Beatel and Chase tried to talk to him, but he excused himself and left.

Eka followed him. 

Jack found himself in the library, and Eka sneaking past his side. 

They stayed in silence for a long time, until Eka randomly started a tour of the library.

She went over the exhibits, art pieces, and book idles. Jack knew that she was supposed to be asking about his past, it was what they agreed on. But she has taken pity on him and allows him to rest his mind instead. Jack dislikes her more for it. He cares for the bite on his arm and meekly walks behind Eka while ignoring her explanations. 

After an hour or more, Eka takes a long pause, and Jack finds her staring far away through a window.

"Lady Eka?" He calls.

"Oh, yes. Sorry. The hunters are still around," Eka hums to herself. The hunters had been exploring for days, looking for Chase and Jack, and they had finally decided to leave the prairie, "I should concentrate on them. Jack, do you mind if we reschedule?" 

"Please, I'm sorry we have cause you so many troubles!" Jack felt like he had said that before. 

"Don't be. This is the most excitement I have gotten in fifty years," Eka chuckles, and with a wave, she leaves.

Jack stares at her as she goes. Eka has done a lot for them and asked very little in return. She even allowed Chase to behave like a brat, and now Jack. The elf walks through the bookshelves and looks at the covers waiting for something to catch his eye. Jack dislikes her more after every interaction. 

Jack picks a book about glass making and flips through the pages.

He looks through a window, Chase, and Beatel sparring faster than either did with Jack. Jack should be thankful for their consideration of going easier on him; without it, he could have gotten hurt. He would have gotten seriously hurt, Jack thinks as he looks at the dried blood on his sleeve. Yet, Jack resents it, not the easier treatment itself but the fact that he needs it. Jack wished he was strong enough to stand on his own instead of relying on the kindness of his others. The elf knows that they see him as a pitiful thing, and it brings Jack back to a sad period of his life. 

Alone, he stews over his embarrassing defeat and all his past failures that preceded it. He lets them weight him down until he is nearly lost in a void of self-pity.

When Dandy calls him for dinner, Jack tells him he isn't hungry and goes back to his room.

The elf doesn't have the energy to shower or change his clothes, he sits at the edge of the cold fireplace until the door opens. Jack waits in place as Chase advances to him and lits the fire.

The naga had returned early from dinner and was now next to the elf. 

Jack tries to think of what to say to explain his absence at dinner. But Chase doesn't seem to particularly care. There wasn't an awkward silence as Jack feared it might fill the space between them. Instead, the naga slides a plate of food between them and a cup of tea in Jack's hands.

The crackling of the fire talks for them and the warm caresses their still healing wounds. 

The food was especially tasty in an empty stomach, and Jack felt so thankful for Chase. Jack eat until he was full and finished his tea in a long sip. 

Then in a delicate moment, as Jack tries to pull himself together, Chase puts his hand over Jack's. 

The naga wasn't sure what to say what he hoped his intentions would be carried by their touch -like Jack did when Chase open up to him. 

But it didn't. 

Instead, Jack saw the only and newest aspect of his life not-actively descending into a pit of despair reach out. Jack saw Chase as a lifeline in an ocean of shit, and Jack grabs for him as he would for his life. 

Jack felt his eyes water and a smile form in his face, he reaches for Chase and tucks a black strand of hair behind his ear. He wanted to say 'thank you,' but instead, Jack kisses him. 

It was a messy, desperate kiss, and it begs for more than it has been given. Jack aggressively pushes his mouth against Chase's, only to find air. Chase held Jack in place, and with an awkward cough, he signals his rejection. 

It was hard to understand.

"I'm sorry-" Jack starts as his brains re-runs every interaction he had with the naga. "I just thought- I," Chase called him 'pretty' and 'beautiful' so often, Jack believe it. And the way the naga touch him- 

"Jack!" Chase rubs Jack's shoulders and looks at those pitiful eyes and trembling lips. If Jack wasn't Jack, Chase would have continued kissing him. If it wasn't because of what happened in the last few days, Chase would have wholeheartedly devoured his tiny elf. But that would make him an untrustworthy companion -and for reasons, Chase still didn't understand, Jack trusts him. "I think you are not done with the moon."

"What?!" Jack's brain worked overtime to connect the blue moon, his ceremony for ascension to adulthood, and his unwanted advantages. 

"Since then you have been lost in thought, and you said that it would be a period of self-reflection so-"

"Just said 'no,' and we can move on." Jack shakes Chase's hands off him. 

"Jack, I didn't mean to offend you." 

"No!" Jack stands up, and he feels his tears sting his eyes. He felt so stupid. "I'm sorry, Okay! Please don't," Jack saw the last meaningful part of his life, betray him by becoming another convoluted relationship. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mess this up too. -I'm going to leave, just for an hour." Jack takes a few steps back and turns to leave when he sees Chase open his mouth. 

The distance between their room to the west wing was the longest hall Jack has ever run. He was breathless by the time he made it outside. 

The temperature dropped to a nearly freezing that night, and the sky was a wide black world without the moon. There are no fires in the west wing or lights in the west garden, so everything was darkness to Jack. He hugs himself and stubbornly steps into the void. 

The cold was drying Jack's face until he felt his skin tighten, and the thin clothing did little to protect him against the wind. Blindly Jack walks in a straight line in what it feels like forever until he reaches the building. The elf braces himself, there are no sources of heat of light inside the west wing, but there would be no wind. Jack feels the wall until he finds the doors and pulls on the handle. The metal was cold and the door heavy, Jack uses both of his hands and digs his heels on the tile trying to open the door, but it doesn't move. 

"Eka always opens it..." Jack comes to the realization that he isn't strong enough to open the door. The elf just wanted a quiet it place to mope alone, but he couldn't even find one. Jack goes over all the steps that led him to seek to refuse in a freezing dark building when he had a nice warm bed just hours ago. 

The pathetic of his life made Jack want to laugh. He turns to consider walking back, hoping that Chase would be asleep when he makes it back. 

In the distance, a single torch comes closer. 

Jack squints his eyes as he recognizes the giant figure of his traveling companion. He presses his back flat against the walls and sinks down. 

Jack trembles in place, hugs himself, and in a breath, he wonders if he ever not needed rescuing. He knew that he couldn't hide, Chase can see in the dark, and Jack can't. Surely, Jack could make it back, but he would prefer it if he could shorten the trip. Jack didn't want to think about how pitiful his face must look -after all the crying, cold exposure, and embarrassment, but even so, he was looking forward to talking to Chase.

The naga sucks at comforting, but he still somehow always made things appear more doable. And if not, at least he has a sense of humor.

The elf was still lost in thought when he felt a blanket being thrown over his head. Jack struggles to find a way out of the blanket, and when he does, he wraps himself around it. He snuggles against the still-warm quilt and resigned looks up to Chase. 

The naga was wrap in multiple blankets holding a torch and looks down at Jack unimpressed by his theatrics.

"Must you always run to the coldest place in the terrain?" He 'tsks.' And Jack's mouth hangs open.

"Harsh!" Jack was stunned. He knew Chase could be emotionless and tactless at times, but that was a bit more even for him. "I just got my heart broken!"

"No, you didn't." Chase rolls his eyes and waits for Jack to say something. 

"Yes, I did! You are a jerk," Jack didn't feel that was strong enough, "a sadistic jerk." He adds with emphasis on the 'sadistic' part.

"So, apparently, you like that." 

Jack, once again, was speechless, and all he could do was laugh. 

"You are an asshole." Jack lets out and wipes rouge tears. He was right not to worry about how Chase would react. Even if the naga couldn't comfort him, Chase could make him laugh. 

"You have not seen anything yet," Chase smirks and weight felt of his shoulders, he worry he made a mistake for a second there. The naga moves to the door and pulls it open, "I came for my apology." 

Jack took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he was sorry, "I jumped you before, and you forgive me every time because of the moon's influence. But tonight, I did it on my own, and I never meant to make you uncomfortable. I just thought-"

"Not for that," Chase looks into the library, it was eerily quiet.

"-uh, I'm sorry I have been a jerk to Eka?" Jack tries.

"You have been a jerk to Eka. No, why had you? We will talk about that later. No, I want you to apologize for trying to use me as a distraction instead of dealing with-" Chase looks at Jack and makes a vague gesture, "whatever it is you are dealing with."

"You are talking nonsense!" Jack places his hands on his hips, and a strong wind nearly takes his blanket. The pair looks at their options and enter the library. 

The torch in magically put off, and Chase knows he won't be able to overpower the protective spells to start a flame. He closes the door and moves to find a place to sit. Jack puts his hand on the tail and uses it to guide himself in the dark.

"You are not in love with me, Jack," Chase couldn't keep the sadness out of his voice; it was born from a stupid hope that maybe Jack was actually in love with Chase. But he had the bugging suspicion that someone else occupates that place, "I know because you left. You didn't attempt to explain."

"There is nothing to explain, though," Jack knew Chase was a smart man.

"Jack, am I who has made you upset?" Chase stops by a table and guides Jack to a chair.

"No!" Jack answers before he could think. He wanted to assure Chase that whatever mess Jack was in, it wasn't Chase's fault. "Don't let it go to your head, but you are the best time in my life." It was so embarring so easy to see. "That's why I kiss you. Because you feel right-"  _ and everything else feels wrong. _

Chase waits for Jack to continued, but the elf can't say more.

"You feel right too," Chase confesses, and he hears Jack's heartbeat pick up, "Jack, am I upsetting you?" 

"... I, no, you are perfect." Jack could hear resentment in his voice, and he tries to purge it out of his tone. "You are beautiful, a fighter, a sorcerer, confident, and strong. And I wish I was some of those things. I admire you." Jack lets out and finds more positive feelings than negative. "I was having a shitty day," Jack sighs "or month, and you were there, so perfect." 

"Was I perfect or convenient?" Chase nervously plays with his hands, he itches to bring Jack closer. Chase heard Jack upset before, but the vulnerability of his voice was something he has only heard on the blue moon. 

"...You were there when everything else fails." Jack brings his hand to his lips and cries. He likes Chase, but if he is honest, he didn't take into account all the little things he would if had actually been romantically thinking about him. "Chase, I'm sorry, I needed something good."

"I am flatter." Chase interrupts, not really wanting to hear more about it. 

They stew there in silence until Jack has to speak again.

"I was also jealous," Jack confesses since he has already crossed some boundaries, he might go all the way. 

"Of me?" Chase brings his blankets tighter around him. 

"No, well, a little. But of Beatel and Eka. They want to teach you things, and you are gonna learn -I can tell you are a fast learner. You are gonna become stronger and stronger, and I won't." Jack closes his eyes and puts his hand over his heart. 

Chase stares at Jack and tastes his words before saying them.

"You will never be a master of martial arts or magic. Is that what has been in your mind?"

It was more than straightforward, it was a cruel way to phrase it. But Jack appreciates the direct approach. He was a cry baby, but he hates being treated like one. As pitiful as Jack's situation might be, he cherishes Chase's confidence in Jack's ability to handle it.

"No, not really. I have been thinking a lot about how I learned that. When I accepted what I couldn't be to be the truth." Jack looks out of the window into more darkness until he could find the stars. "No moon, new moon." 

Chase tries to think of what to ask next to understand Jack, but he couldn't. Foundationally, combat and magic skills are essential to nagas -and Chase couldn't imagine his life without them. He admires Jack's tenacity, resourcefulness, and charm, but he couldn't relate to it. 

"How was it?" Chase asks without thinking.

"Mm?" Jack looks back at Chase, but he can only make out the shape.

"When you understood?"

"Oh, mm? It was hard. It was very hard. I'm very stubborn, and I liked to pretend that I would figure it out. And that's not it." Jack lets out a little chuckle.

"What you mean?" Chase tilts his head, curious about Jack's life. "I just noticed I know a lot less about you than you know about me." 

"That means I'm the mysterious one!" Jack smiles and allows himself to feel the sadness he keeps trying to ignore. "My story is not as interesting, and I'm sure you know enough to put it together." 

"Still, aren't you a storyteller?" Chase taunts and sees Jack trying to suppress a smirk.

"I'm a professional," Jack says before tracing with his hands the smooth table. "A hundred years ago, a baby was born during a warm spring night in the Gibbous clan. The prophets were first overjoyed with the child. They said that his white skin was a gift from the moon and that he will be destined to greatness, so his parents name him Sylarus, one to pave a new path."

"Cocky name for a baby." Chase interrupts and smiles as Jack rolls his eyes.

"The parents of the child!" Jack continues a little louder "were very happy." He stops. How short would the story be if it ended it there? "But soon they will hear his laborious breath. Doctors look after the baby and sadly declare that he will be short-lived, and did their best to keep him alive. However, Sylarus did not care for long life; he wanted a great life -to live up to his name. Yet, soon he will learn of his many limitations." Jack considers going over again to his medical and magic issues. 

"When do Sylarus becomes Jack?" Chase asks, looking at Jack's lonely hand. 

"Patience." Jack looks up. "Sylarus wrongly thought that it was the clan trying to protect him-" Jack stops again. He could go on and on about all the things the clan did to him. Jack spend days contemplating the intricacies of his relationship with his clan, but he was tired of it, and his heart was not in the story. "Sylarus wanted to do everything they tell him not to. One day he found a book he had never seen and- he left to never return."

Chase tilts his head, "there was a portion missing." 

"I have been thinking a lot about my clan." Jack scratches the table with his nail. "I have a lot of um, emotions about them."

Chase nods and looks at Jack, digging with his nail into the wood. 

"They did wrong by you."

"I was so unhappy there." Jack felt it them, a ball of emotions he has been pretending was not there, and they were coming to the surface. It was overwhelming and nearly too much to face. But a large hand over his squeeze him, and Jack felt a little stronger. "Because of my 'moonlight problem,' I live in the morning."

"It must have been lonely." Chase considers all the moon elves sleeping during the day except Jack (a younger, more vulnerable, and louder version of his Jack). 

"At times, but I have Perlen. We would go to the library, and I would act out all the roles for him. He would carry me in his shoulders, and I would tell him what was ahead as he runs across town." Jack laughs, remembering how many times they fell from the bridge into the river. "We could have seriously died so many times." 

"Oh?" Chase was taken back, the story Jack tells him sounds nice. 

"We sneak into people's houses and play pranks. Eventually, they separate us because we were 'bad influences for the other.' But we will always find our way back to each other." Jack smiles, feeling that bittersweet nostalgia. "At nights like this, when there is no moon, we would go to town. There was this stand that sells the best-caramelized fish in a stick ever! The vender knew I could only come around during the new moon, so he always gave me extra." Jack wonders if he is making sense or if it's reasonable how much he feels like crying. "Then we would go to the lake or river to meet the rest of the hunter party. I would sit by the fire, and Perlen would go to walk near the shore. Amada would dance on the water holding a moon lantern, and I would watch with Ilirio and Trella from the campfire. Ilirio will always complain about how if we were adults, then we could enjoy human sweets, and Trella might share some of the moonshines her family brews. When Trella got drunk, she would look at me and said that I was beautiful. She said that when the moon was gone, I look like-" Jack choke. 

Chase pulls him closer as Jack's cries intensified. 

The naga brings Jack into his lap and feels the elf tightly hug him and press his face against this shoulder. He couldn't understand or offer any comfort to Jack. Chase could only wrap himself tightly around Jack, and squeeze him until Jack understood that Chase will stay there.

"Why do I miss them? Why I miss a place that hurt me so much?" Jack has never said before, he was content pretending that his hate was Gibbous was simple, but like everything in his life -it was a messy relationship. "I was so unhappy, so why do I regret it?" 

"You regret it?" Chase asks, and he feels Jack shake his head on his chest.

"No, but I miss it. I miss Gibbous so much. I wonder if they think about me. I wonder, do they miss me?" Jack felt like his whole heart was in his throat, "Did I make the right decision? When I left, did I make the right decision?" Jack needs it to know if it was worth it. 

"Only you can answer that."

Chase hangs his head over Jack's shoulder and waits for the elf to come to answer. But of all things, he never expected what Jack concluded. 

It wasn't an easy decision. Jack has been thinking about it for years, but last month, when Chase told Jack he would return to the desert, Jack knew what he must do. But only now, he was ready to accept it.

"It's time for me to return home." 

Chase felt as he had been stab. His body went rigid, and he all strength left him for just a second. 

The naga tightens his hold in his companion, before giving him a single nod.

"How so?" He tries to sound neutral and not immediately bitter. 

"Perlen was right, what are the odds of us meeting again days before my ceremony -A blue moon of all. I think that she has been pulling me home for a while now, but I refused to listen." Jack tries to push himself up multiple times, but Chase's hold on him is absolute. So Jack cleans his snot in Chase's blanket. 

"I remember him." Chase knew he sounds bitter.

"Chase, would you come with me?" Jack felt like he knew the answer, but he wants to be sure.

"Of course," Chase snuggles his face against Jack's neck, "after all, how else would you slap Mother Ursula?" Chase ends with a low chuckle, and Jack bursts in laughter.

"Yes!" Jack punches the air with his only free limb and giggles like a drunk man. "I gonna beat up that old lady!" 

Immediately he regrets it, Jack quickly returns his arm into the warm cuddle ball they two created and finds a comfortable spot. 

They continued laughing while badly planning future revenge schemes and falling prey to their warm embrace. 

Neither men remember falling sleep, but they did. 

Chase woke up first, he watched the sunrise and kept Jack in the shadow to let him sleep. He used the time to meditate, as Eka recommend him, and soon found himself deeply asleep. 

Dandy cames to find them later in the morning, it was past breakfast, and both had missed it. 

Apparently, many things took place last night.

Chase and Jack follow Dandy into the main house to an indoor garden. In the center of the garden, a large irregular table stood proud, Eka and Beatel point and look at their many hills. 

Chase moves closer first and inspects the table. 

"This is a map." Chase smiles and tries to take the view. It was beautiful, the wood was carved to show the mountains of the west, next cracked tiles to show the desert, cute houses for the village and the duchess' estate (now burnt), real moss for the praire and glass for the sea. "It's beautiful —a bird's perspective map!" 

The nagas began talking about imaginary territory lines, Chase was surprised to learn that Beatel and Eka are not just neighbors but also shared land. Eka owns most of the area, but Beatel owns a great deal of the ground under Eka. 

Jack stands on the doorframe, feeling more embarrassed by the minute. After his little heart to heart with Chase, he has been able to process his bottled up emotions (or began to). Also, he can see his previous behavior with fresh eyes. 

Jack cane helpt to feel ashamed, he has been overly sensitive and rude to Eka, and a terrible sport with Beatel. While all the nagas have been nothing but respectful and welcoming. 

"Jack!" Beatel calls him, and his happy face drops when he notices Jack is still wearing the clothes from the day before. "Your clothes are dirty," he gives Eka a dirty look, "were you not offered any clothes?" 

Eka looks stressed as if she doesn't know what to say to avoid offending Jack. 

"I was!" Jack hurries to explain, "and I don't think I have said how happy I'm with your present, It's the nicest winter set I have ever own." A bit too much flattering, but Jack was behind.

"Oh, I'm happy you like it!" Eka smiles, feeling all kinds of relief. 

"Jack and I explored the west garden last night, after dinner, and we ended up spending the night out." 

"AH, to be young," Beatel sighs, and no one bothers to correct him. 

"What is happening?" Jack asks, looking at the map. 

"Last night, the hunters took the bait," Eka explains, she taps four places in the map, and four tiny projections of the hunters appear. "They could sense my magic and tirelessly attempt to break through my barriers. I have to herd them out, but because each of them uses different magic, one or two would see through whatever illusion I present them."

"That wouldn't be a problem if you just sent me to fight them." Beatel interrupts.

"You know I don't like unnecessary bloodshed." Eka pushes him out of the way. "A few days ago, I made an illusion of you two hiding over-" Eka points in the map, and a tiny Chase and Jack appear, "here. They tracked them, and now the hunters are following them back to the village. I can keep my illusion all the way to the mountains. It should give you two enough time to rest for a few more days and leave -if you wish to." 

"Eka, we are in your debt." Chase looks at the little hunters moving out of the prairie. Eka is more powerful than he initially thought. 

Jack shrank in place; he had been so cold to such a powerful creature. 

"Don't overthink it. I enjoy this, it has been fun. But now that is over, I think a celebration is in order." 

Dandy moves in and beams between Eka and Beatel, "A party!" 

"It has been a while," Beatel nods.

Chase and Jack look at each other in confusion. 

"In such short notice, would it be alright, Dandy?" Eka asks, and Dandy nods energetically. 

"I just need some help," he pulls Beatel, but before leaving, he looks at Chase. "I need him too." 

"Do you mind?" Eka asks as if Chase could say no. 

"No, is the least I can do." Chase gives Jack one last confused glance before leaving.

Jack watches him go and then turns to noticed that Eka is staring at him. She looks almost sheepish to be found staring again. 

"I have a habit of staring intensely. People who know don't mind or mentions it at this point, but I imagine it must be off-putting." Eka explains, and Jack nods as he recalls all the times he found out Eka watching him. The naga is always observing things, she considers herself a historian and patron of arts. It's only natural for her to pay, especially close attention to anything new. 

"I noticed, but I," Jack feels like he should explain and apologize, he owns her that much. 

"Is your wound dress?" Eka interrupts instead. Jack looks down at his dirty sleeve and shakes his head. "Follow me." Eka moves out of the garden, and Jack follows her deeper into her house until they stop into a small room. 

The room was still big but small in comparison to the rest of the house. A colossal bookshelf function as a wall, on the opposite side, a small fireplace burns low, long couches twist around the room, and multiple tables around the room hold hundreds of open books. 

Jack struggles to take a site and sinks into the soft cushion. A nymph brings a bowl of water, bandages, and ointments.

Jack doesn't talk, he lets Eka care for his wound and observes her trained copper eyes learn things Jack wishes to hide. Eka uses her claw to unravel the stitches in Jack's sleeve and pulls it off. 

"Ah," Jack looks at the fabric, it didn't occur to Eka until then that maybe she should cut people's clothes.

"I'll send your shirt to a tailor after, it will be like new." She assures Jack as she cleans his arm.

"I'm sure it will be better than new." Jack's tone is light, and Eka could tell something has shifted in him. The elf knew that Eka knows more than she says. "Thank you for doing this for me," Jack says as Eka cleans inside the cuts.

"I like to be helpful." Eka tries to even up the field, give Jack information about her.

"You don't have to be-" Jack hisses as the ointment is applied to his wound. "You are so strong, you don't have to put up with anything you don't want to." 

"I know," Eka barely acknowledges Jack's pain, and continues covering the wound, "but the mountain is strong against the wind and powerless against the rain." 

Jack looks at the bandage, it was good work. "What are you weak against?"

"Outside." 

Jack looks at her, he didn't expect her to answer. "What?"

"Outside. I'm as strong as I'm because I have a seemingly unending supply of magic at my disposition, which allows me to create convincing illusions -as long as I stay inside my territory. The further out I go, the weaker I become." 

"You," Jack didn't understand why she would trust him with such a huge secret. Or maybe, it's not a secret. "you didn't have to tell me that." Or maybe Eka didn't think of Jack as a treat. 

"You are a smart elf, you would have figured it out or hear about it. It's not a secret." 

Jack looks at the floor, trying to understand her. He could feel her eyes on him, and Jack wonders what Eka thinks of him? 

"Do you think I'm weak?" Jack asks because she must.

"I think you are young," Eka says instead, "and conflict it." 

Jack smiles at that, it was sweet of her. 

"I have been, well, Chase calls it a period of self-reflection." Jack blushes, suddenly aware that he could be learning something too if he pays attention. "You remind me of someone else, and I, mm, You reminded me of someone I don't like. Someone I almost met." 

Jack felt uncomfortable under Eka's scrutinizing eyes. 

"Jack, do you know why Beatel is wary of you?" Eka switches the subject, Jack isn't sure why, but he is thankful for it.

"Because he thought I could do lots of magic?" Jack takes a stab in the dark.

"Because you won the first fight," Eka says, and it takes a full second for Jack to turn to face her. She laughs at Jack's confused face, "when Chase and Beatel first fought, you called for an audience and participated in it by narrating it. You armed Chase in ways Beatel didn't expect. Chase is a strong and talented fighter, but you surprised Beatel. It was you who turned the fight." 

Jack considers Eka's words, he didn't think he was participating in the fight, but Jack was definitely not a neutral party. Everything he did during that fight was to aid Chase, yet Jack didn't think of his role as valuable. 

"You really think that screaming loudly is worthy of so much fuss?"

"If it wasn't, Chase would have not imitated you. He understood how you helped him, and he wanted to do the same for you when you fought Beatel."

Jack was speechless for a long time.

There were many things he had never thought. 

"Moon elf," Eka calls him after what felt like a whole day, "are you ready for your interview?" 

Jack nods, and Eka smiles. 

The day was passed, eating small snacks and retelling personal stories. Eka was ruthless with her questions, but she was easily distracted, and Jack is a professional storyteller. The pair laughed and cried, sharing anecdotes and secrets, until they grew closer in a single afternoon. 

Dandy came for them, and send them both to change before returning to the grand dining room. 

Jack was disappointed to hear that Chase was at the party. He hoped they would have an opportunity to talk, Jack wanted to rub in Chase's face how kind and fun Eka was to him. 

The elf hurries to get ready, but considering how Dandy warned him that if his appearance 'not satisfactory,' the nymph will come and shower Jack himself, Jack made sure to be thorough. The water was cold, it has been getting colder and colder, but Jack didn't have time for a heated bath. He sticks his head in the fountain water to rinse the shampoo and scrubs his skin pink. The elf wraps himself in a thick towel and goes to his dresser, where a new attire hangs from the mirror's edge. 

Jack puts it on, it was very similar to the other one, but stylized fishes were embroidered with white thread. The boots had a sturdier sole and longer sides hidden under the wide pants, better suit for traveling. Lastly, The elf looks at his skin, his never forgiving skin, and sees the dark circles under his eyes, flushed color, and pink eyes -obviously, he has been crying. Deciding it was all he could do, Jack brushes his hair with his fingers, surprise he feels the wet strands touch his back, and leaves to the party. 

It was easy to find the way. Nymphs wearing all sorts of clothes lazily talk among each other while walking in a clear direction. Everyone takes a moment to wave at Jack, even if Jack couldn't hear them, they all attempt to communicate with him. The elf appreciates the gesture, and he too waves back with a quick compliment about their clothes. 

Once Jack enters the grand dining room, he noticed that it has been a long time since he has attended a party has a guest instead of as an entertainer. The room was lavish, not the more luxurious Jack has seen, but in comparison to the rest of the manor -it was a decadent display of wealth. The table was carved out massive tangerine quartz and other rocks, tall silver plates filled with food lined up over the counter. A magnificent chandelier with soft yellow lights hangs in the center of the room -over the dancing area, a designed space a band of nymphs plays calm, enjoyable music. Everyone is dress as if it was a royal ball. 

Jack feels giddy and runs to Chase, who is fighting Beatel. Both men hold the other's hands high over their heads and push trying to overpower the other. Jack raises a curious eyebrow and sees that Beatel is cover in jewelry, while Chase is only wearing a headpiece with a terribly familiar ponytail. 

"Oh, Beatel did your hair," Jack smirks and mocks Chase with his eyes.

"Yes!" Beatel confirms as Chase blushes, "Jack, please tell him he looks dashing."

"Chase, dear, you look dashing," Jack could hear a happy laugh barely hiding under his tone.

"You hear that~" Beatel taunts, and Chase pushes harder. 

"I'm gonna bite your mouth off!" He groans, feeling embarrassed, and now mocked by Jack. 

"So forthcoming," Eka comes in, on the other side of the struggle looking a Jack through the ark the two other nagas made, "I see everyone is getting along." 

"Yes, we all are making best-" before he could finish, Chase gains leverage and pushes Beatel off balance to the floor. The two engage in a new 'tug-of-war' on the floor, as long tails whip up on the air then crashing down.

Eka and Jack watch the childish display of strength.

"This is why I can't have parties." Eka mocking declares, and she and Jack share a little laugh. 

The party was a light conversation that becomes wilder when Dandy walks in, wearing the only silk attire in the whole house, with a bottle of wine. 

Eka looks at her guests and asks, "can you two drink?"

"Yes," said both men who had to live most of their life in the desert where alcohol is rarer than water. 

In true, Chase had his occasional cup when he worked with the Echodour Kingdom. Jack also tasted hard liquor on his way up to the desert during his days as a barn. But either young men have ever been left unsupervised with an open container.

The first cup was about the taste. 

Chase recognizes and likes wine. While Jack found it bitter and unappealing, but he didn't want to appear childish. Jack wants to chase after them, he wants to strike further than the limitations he has accepted. And he is gonna start with drinking. 

Chase complains to Jack about his hair. Jack reassures him that he genuinely looks handsome with his hair up. The black short her elegantly curls at the end and exposes Chase's neck, which Jack didn't know he missed. 

"It's not the hair but the headpiece," Chase touches the golden cuff and its complicated needles. "I don't want to wear Beatel's jewelry."

"Or look!" Jack snorts and laughs to his own joke. The naga waits for the laughter to die down.

"I asked him to use this," Chase shows him a ribbon tied on his wrist.

"That's my ribbon!" Jack looks at it.

"You gift it to me," Chase holds his wrists close like he expects Jack to yank it off him.

"I lend it to you for the fight, give it back!" Jack actually tries to grab it and nearly spills his empty cup. "Give it!"

"No!" Chase lifts his arm and laughs at Jack's attempts to reach the ribbon. "Jack, please, you would never jump that high." 

"Thief!" Jack loudly declares, he is surprised to see Chase actually worry and look around. He laughs, and Chase pulls him to shut him up.

Unable to come in an agreement with whom the ribbon belongs, they agree to go for a second cup. 

Jack asks Dandy for a sweeter wine, and he opens a new bottle of blood orange wine; however, it wasn't sweet enough for Jack's taste. The nymph, set to please, leaves to find another wine. Chase finds the wine delightful. In a second, another nymph comes to teach Jack a secret that will ruin many future events; honey can be added to wine to make it sweet. 

The second cup was about touch. 

The music had picked up the pace, and nymphs took over the center of the room to participate in elaborated unsynchronized dances. Jack recognizes some of the moves -from water nymphs, but of them were new to him. It was a messy scene, but it reminds him of home. Home reminds Jack of complicated sad feelings, and he leans on Chase. The naga flinches at the touch, worry for the ribbon he stole. But in his melancholy, Jack felt generous and gifted the ribbon to Chase. 

"Come, I'll do your hair." 

Chase sank on the floor, all the way until his back was on Jack's stomach, and he drinks from his nearly empty cup as Jack carefully undoes the cuff. 

"Nagas have an extreme sense of territory," Chase begins to explain without meaning to, "I don't take what is not mine." 

Jack takes the metal cuff off and lays it on the floor. He brushes with his finger Chase hair and ends up petting him instead of tying it. The ribbon hangs loosely around Jack's wrist, as he plays with the thick black hair.

"I don't care for stealing," Jack hums as he moves the stands to see them lightly shine under the warm light of the room. "I don't really care for pride."

"Is more than pride," Chase hopes Jack never stops stroking him, "is the only way we know how to love." 

The naga takes another sip, but his cup is empty. 

"I know nothing about love," Jack separates half of Chase's hair from his ears up, and lovingly braids it. 

Chase holds his tongue before calling Jack a lier. 

"Is that so." He says, melting under the thoughtful touch. 

"I'm sorry I kissed you." Jack ties the ribbon at the end of the braid, and Chase stands you. "Chase,-"

"You don't have to say it," Chase didn't want to hear it.

"But I need to," Jack unconsciously seeks Chase's hand, and when the naga holds his hand back, Jack knows he can continue, "I don't love you, but I love so many parts of you. At times, I love you more than I love me."

"That's is worst than what I thought you were going to say." Chase scoffs.

"Hey, I thought we were having a moment." Jack blushes, letting go of Chase's hand.

"That was yesterday if you want another, please wait a week minimum." Chase takes Jack's hand back. "Thank you for the ribbon, I will love it right." 

"That was cheesy." Jack looks down to hide his smile and the way he wants to cry. It was nice, nicer than Jack could explain.

"I am cheesy? Do you hear yourself?" Chase moves back to the table with Jack.

The third cup was about music.

It was strange between them, both have said what they want it to say, but neither had actually process it. More wine, with too much honey, seems to help, but Chase and Jack still found themselves standing in strained silence. Except for the music. Music carries the room and fills empty spaces in awkward conversation until Jack asks a question that has been building for hours.

"Do you want to dance?" Jack asks, and Chase puts his cup down. 

"I would, like to, yes." Chase felt like words did not come as easy. 

Dancing together was nothing like last time. Chase and Jack are tipsy, and their movements are less careful and grander. The audience, too, were all a little drunk, but the nymphs have experience sharing the dancefloor with drunk nagas, and they move accordingly. 

Jack and Chase laugh through most of their time together. Chase swings Jack wildly, and Jack sticks to Chase's side like a moth would to light. Song after song, they continued to dance, Jack makes up lyrics, and Chase hums a few melodies. 

But eventually, Jack is taken from Chase. 

The nymphs heard Jack is a professional storyteller, and they ask for a tell with the help of Dandy, who brings sweeter wine bottles. 

After a drunken tale after another, the dancing returns. But this time, Dandy takes Jack as his partner, and Chase is forced to dance with Beatel. 

Beatel accuses Chase of pouting, and Chase leaves him for Eka. 

Eka also laughs at Chase's pouting face.

On the other hand, Jack would dance with whoever asks, and he jumps from style to style, messing matching his new partner's. The elf happily dances for hours to end, drunk in a moment he had forgotten could exist.

The fourth cup was about fragrance. 

Chase lures Jack back with the promise of meat and honey wine. 

Jack, a newly refilled cup and nearly drinks it all in a single swing.

"This one is good." Jack balance from one foot to another. 

"Thirsty?" Chase couldn't decide if he was imprese or worry.

"Parshe? Par- Parched," Jack is about to take another swing when Chase holds his cup. 

"Let me serve you water." Chase decided 'worry.' "I thought you said you could drink." He serves a new cup with water.

"I say lots of things." Jack takes it and drinks all of the contents in one go. 

"Do you mean any?" 

Jack takes a long pause and then loudly laughs. 

It's hard to keep track!" Jack answers between laughs and swings his arm around Chase, "I'm a dangerous elf." 

"You are a danger to yourself," Chase takes Jack's cup and drinks the rest of the wine -it was sickeningly sweet.

"Hey!" Jack pouts, but he giggles again. "Are you having fun?" 

Chase blinks at their sudden topic change. "Yes, I am. And you, Jack, are you having fun?" 

Jack turns to Chase and traps him in a tight hug, "I'm having so much fun!" He smiles widely, "I don't remember the last time I dance like -I do remember, it was back at my clan when I got drunk and eat a cake. But I don't remember ever having this much fun!" Jack presses his face against Chase, he cuddles up in a spot that he considers his. "You smell nice."

It was an intimate comment, Jack knew how Chase smells and that he enjoys it. Chase picks and swirls the leftover wine in his own cup, and drinks it all.

"Jack, do you want to dance?" 

The elf's face lights up like a star, and he pulls his new dance partner to the center of the room. 

Chase was careful not to lose Jack between the sea of competitors, the nymphs nearly stole him more than once. They dance drunk in a happy daze at the beat of an energetic violin and an old song. They dance until their bodies were tired, but their souls beg for more. Tonight was something both need it, like the first time at the Oasis after traveling in the desert. Jack twirls and laughs. Chase proudly displays his speed and pretty scales. It was your name shot during a fire, an exit through the smoke. Chase holds Jack's hand, and the elf pulls him all over the room as people give them space to watch the two men make fools of themselves. Tonight was a breath of air after nearly drowning at the lake. Jack pants for air, and almost trips trying to play a silly game of catch with Chase. The naga picks Jack as the last song comes to an end and lifts him up. They don't hear the cheers and weak claps under the sound of their own shouting.

Tired and dizzy, they make a way to the table -but Beatel waits there, blocking their access to more alcohol. 

The fifth cup was about the scene. 

Jack picks the bottle from Beatel's hands. It was a slow-motion masterpiece; Beatel glares at Chase, daring him to try disobey, but Jack moves faster than anyone in the room could think. The decisive hands grab the neck of the bottle, and Jack bolts. Beatel sees him run, and before he could follow Chase blocks him, and pulls the mantle of the table. Beatel is forced to hold the mantle to keep the plates from falling as pair flee in a unmatch glee. 

Chase pasts Jack and looks back, hushing him, but Jack laughs as he runs as fast as his legs would carry him. He has to stop for air, still folding himself with laughter. Chase pulls him to keep going, but he also is stopped by his own chuckles. 

They sit on the floor and then lay all the way down. In front of a grand window, a sliver of the moon shines brighter than it should. Jack lies on the cold floor far enough to not touch by it's light and close enough to be tempted by it. Chase abruptly sobers up, worry that the moon will take Jack again.

"Her light is still too weak." Jack lifts his arms and leans in to touch the light, but he stops within the edge of the safe darkness. 

With the mood sour, Jack tries to unscrew the bottle. 

"It won't hurt you?" Chase takes the bottle and uses his claws to plucked the cork off. 

"Only if I stay long," Jack looks intensively to the moon, and the first of silver appears on his eyes, "or if I touch it." 

The room was felt bigger than what it was, and the two of them stare at the moon. 

Chase takes one drink and offers the bottle to Jack. The elf swings the bottle all the way back, only to cough it all out as it was poison. Jack sticks his tongue out and wipes his mouth with his sleeve and regrets it immediately. 

Chase barks a burst of roaring laughter. 

"You forgot how wine tastes like!" 

"It's bitter!" Jack whines.

"It's not. It is sweet, dried, and with fruit-ty tone. Total waste in you." Chase smiles wide enough to show his fangs and laughs a little more when Jack pouts.

"It just needs some honey." Jack puts the bottle down and looks back at the moon.

"Jack, can I ask you something?" 

"Mm, just ask." Jack inspects his clothes, but he couldn't see well in the darkness.

"How long had you been in love with the moon?" Chase looks at Jack's stupidly fluster face, and he welcomes a new bittersweet feeling.

"What? I'm not-"

"And when would you fall out of love with her?" 

"Firstly, I'm very gay. Secondly, why? Are you gonna fight me for her?" Jack snorts and feels an odd exhilaration. 

Chase picks the bottle and swings it completely vertical. He drinks up until the bottle is empty, and his stomach feels warm and full. 

"I'm going to fight her!" Chase felt the room spin, and Jack's laugh fades into a giggle. 

The night continued in a light bittersweet conversation that accomplishes nothing at all. Yet, Jack felt content in ways he doesn't remember ever feeling, and Chase felt a new flavor of emotion he didn't know existed. They felt sleep together in their separate conflicts, with the moon watching over them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I have lots of trouble writing this one. For one, lots of things happen in my life during this last month.  
> And also, I wanted to do Jack's internal turmoil to be 'not-clear' or not 'cut-and-dried.' This Jack is technically older than the one in the show, so I think he already went through the stuff show-Jack went through. I think he has to look back and really ask himself if he is happy with his life.  
> I planed from the first chapter to have Jack go back home, but I feel like he would not want to.  
> I'm sorry I'm taking so long to get Chase and Jack together. I love slow burns and I like it when characters grow up a little before getting together. Also at some point, I'll remember the plot lol.  
> Thank you for waiting!


	13. Under your skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of Chase's back story that shapes a bit more what is currently happening, this info causes Eka to kick Jack and Chase out of her house. But it's winter and Chase is a snake :C  
> More angst and they are back in the road and then back stuck at another little town.  
> Jack is becoming more of a ride or die type the more this fanfic progresses :0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try to get back to some trust stuff I did before, and I'll continue to get back to it because trust is ever-evolving as relationships change and boundaries get redefine. Anyways, this chapter is Jack and Chase being more in synch and then not deciding what that means.

**Under your skin**

Chapter 13 

The rest promised was never delivered.

A nymph rolls a cart with the guests’ breakfast to the hall where they spend the night. Beatel, not far behind, steals boiled eggs, smirks at the hangover pair.

“Pluma here says ‘GOOD MORNING!’ Assholes,” Beatel screams over Pluma’s soft voice, and then informs the groaning pair, “I said ‘assholes’ Pluma is not that type of pal.”

“Everything hurts,” Jack pushes himself up and looks for Chase, who is massaging the side of his tail he slept in. It was still night; a giant full moon illuminated the skies with a harsh light. 

“It feels like morning,” Something inside Chase’s tells him that the sun is here, but all he can see is the moon -and even her light is hurting his pulsing head. 

“That’s not the moon,” Jack felt groggy and sore. Maybe he should have used Chase as a pillow, he would be better off, but things were a little weird between them. The naga has been playing dumb for a while now, pretending that Jack’s eyes do not watch him with absolute desire. But now that Jack tried to kiss Chase without the moon’s influence, a line has been crossed. The elf tries not to worry. Maybe it is like that time Jack and Perlen made-out; they agreed that it was all in the heat of the moment, gave each other space, and returned to normal after two weeks. 

Chase and Jack had been traveling together for a while, they can trust each other enough to not hurt the other. Not on purpose, at least. 

And, a lot happens in two weeks while traveling… 

“It’s morning.” Beatel dismisses Pluma, and they happily leave to attend the rest of their chores, “Eka is hungover too, and she doesn’t want to see the sun today.” He rolls his eyes at her overly dramatic solution, “She could have just drawn her curtains, I mean, I come here specifically for the sun!”

“No sun today.” Chase was only halfway up, and Jack passed him a piece of bread with meat. 

“And I like that the moon is here, even if she is an imposter.” Jack has never sat under the full moon without losing himself before. It was dark, yet he could see perfectly. It’s nice, something he could get used to.

“You two shut it!” Beatel hisses, “I thought I would finally have a drinking partner, but neither of you can hold a drink for shit.”

“Hey-” Chase and Jack start, but they are interrupted.

“You two drank like a cup, maybe two, and spent the rest of the night flirting with each other. And now everyone is hungover. No fun!” Beatel crosses his arms like a pissed off toddler. 

It was a lot to unpack there, but the pair chose to go for the most comfortable point.

“I’m not drunk-” Jack starts.

“Hungover.” Chase corrects. “I’m sore from sleeping on the tile floor during winter. The cold runs much longer than it does in the desert.”

“No shit,” Betal glares at Chase and then turns to Jack.

“...I have, I’m going through stuff. Obviously, this is like, um, metamorphosis? And I also slept on the floor.”

“So neither of you is hungover?” Beatel lets his arms fall and smiles as the other two lie through their teeth. “Then get up! I want to spar!” 

“Now?” Jack whines, but a blue tail is pulling him up, and Chase follows suit.

The elf didn’t appreciate being waved through the halls, the chilly wind on the west garden, or the wet grass under him. Beatel rolls Jack on the ground and moves in time to avoid a strike from Chase. 

The bigger naga glares at Beatel, who maintains a friendly stand.

“Jack?” Chase calls without parting his eyes from Beatel.

“I’m fine. Just a little,” Jack tasted his breakfast and pushed it back down, “puky.”

“He is fine,” Beatel chuckles at Chase’s dislevel stand, “now, who wants to fight? Morning sparring section?” 

Chase slumps his shoulders, and Jack sits on the floor. “Come on! Chase? Jack? Both of you? At least that would be a challenge.” 

“Hey!” Chase snaps fully-awake, “I bested you plenty of times.”

“You won four fights, is that what you called ‘plenty’?” Beatel makes a ‘tsk’ sound, and then looks at Jack, “at least stand-up. Pretend to have some pride, elf.”

Jack unhurriedly stands up and undusts his clothes. 

“It’s too early for this.” Maybe because of how tired Jack was, he wasn’t hurt by the comment. If anything, Jack was starting to feel pleased with himself, he fought Beatel -a friendly sparr, but he still fought an opponent who rivals Chase Young. “I was going easy on you last time, you know?”

“HA!” The older naga claps his hands, delighted by the cheeky response, “fight me again, fight me with every inch of your might Jack. Make me remember your name!”

“Novalis,” Jack whispers to himself, “this guy is intense!” he turns to Chase, who appears moved by the words.

“Jack,” Chase mouths the next words, correctly guessing that Jack can read lips (up close), “let’s attack together.”

The elf turns, thinking about what they could do. The answer did not matter. The fight was a joke and victory impossible. But Chase’s prideful eyes and devilish smile held all the incentive Jack needed. They were going to give their all -then, Jack presses his hands along the pocket of his pants and uncovers his dagger.

He lifts the selenite knife with honesty, “you have claws, fangs, and accelerated healing -I ask for this little trinket.”

“Is that what you call the mark of the moon elves? Your ancestors must be weeping,” Beatel nods to the condition.

“They will get over it,” Jack searches from the corner of his eye for the smallest sign, and when Chase nods -he runs. Nothing like adrenaline to get over a hangover. 

Without a plan, even a moment to talk among each other, or understanding of the others’ strong and weak points, Chase and Jack launch an attack.

They outnumber Beatel, that’s their one advantage. 

Jack runs in a straight line, faster than either naga has seen him move, and with more confidence, he has a right to have.

Beatel, it’s please and hurries to meet Jack but is forced to turned to avoid a boulder aimed at him. He blinks in stunned confusion. Chase has taken the role of long-distance; he uses his strength to forced Beatel to move. And Jack is the closed contact fighter.  _ An odd choice _ .

The elf is unafraid of Beatel; he moves into his space and clumsily swings his knife with conviction. He is always covered by Chase’s never-ending attacks. 

More so, Chase showed an eye for strategy, clearing considering Beatel’s actions beforehand and responding accordingly. He is not only able to keep his partner safe but successfully divides Beatel’s attention. 

While Jack showed off his schooling. Beatel would have never guessed that Jack had training judging from their previous sparring or the way he approaches fights. But the way he moves, both arms are always up -one to will the knife and the other to defend his space. It was a basic stand drilled into new cadets or soldiers. 

While Beatel was pleasantly surprised by their competence in their positions, they still had a lot to grow to be able to win a fight together. As it is, they are more successful separate than together. 

“You two are a candle in a blizzard!” Beatel declares as he whips his tail on the ground, the ground shifts under them, “But I’m a fucking fire!” 

Earth magic.

The ground trembles as pillars randomly sprout from the dirt. Jack is lifted by one and is trapped in a rock tower. Magic again, Jack didn’t have more time to lament the magical world. He has to figure out how to get back to Chase.

“Now, isn’t that something,” Chase hisses, offended that his opponent was holding back during their fight, “you hid well!”

“You are losing focus,” Beatel shushes him, “keep your eyes on me,” he calls upon the magic of the earth and blows a dust cloud. Engulfing their small terrain. 

Jack locks eyes with Chase before the dust cloud covers them, both sharing a single thought;  _ It is not over.  _ Jack puts his goggles on, he lived in the desert, and this dust cloud is nothing against a sand storm. Chase nods and moves into the cloud. They will change their strategy. 

They had one more advantage. An invisible edge, they know each other.

It was hard moving with all the pillars in the middle of the field, Chase could barely see in front of him, but he could hear Beatel.

At their core, Chase and Jack trust each other. 

Now, because of their nature, they will fabricate an opening. 

Chase is careful to move. This is different from the sand storm he encountered in the desert. Magic tainted the sand, making it heavy and toxic, but the magic in the air was different. Beatel’s magic was energetic, fun, generous -something that Chase could use.

He waited for Beatel to make the first move. 

Beatel attacked using the dust as a shield, only to be imprisoned by it mid-attack. 

“Uh?” Beatel saw the dust cluster around his arms and form a cast, “How-” the next thing he saw was Chase’s claws.

“Aren’t you cool? Child of dirt,” Chase uses his first language to mocked Beatel before attacking again. 

The naga, thrown off by what was happening, steps back until his back hits a pillar. Beatel hears the sound of a rising heartbeat of someone he knew better than to ignore. He lifts his arms just in time to protect himself from Jack’s blade. The knife buries into the dirt cast and nicks his skin. He looks at Jack’s bright smiles as the elf gasps for air -surprised by himself for jumping that distance. 

“I take it back, you two are a terrifyingly pair,” Beatel looks down, not surprised to find Chase smiling at him, with his claws place on his throat. “ Are you gonna skin me now?”

“No need,” Chase glared a moment longer into Beatel eyes, he wasn’t scared, before taking his hand off his throat.

“Hey, if you two are done with-” Jack calls from his position, “whatever that is. Someone, please help me down!” 

Chase didn’t notice he was smiling as he took Jack from Beatel.

“Good aim,” Chase places Jack on the ground, “especially in this darkness.”

“I can actually see very well!” Jack beams and turns to look at the full moon, and his smile dies a little, “I guess there are things that can’t be imitated.”

The senses that no one accounts for.

“I have to ask,” Beatel lowers his arms and explodes his casts, “how did you two do that?!” 

Jack notices his knife has been propelled away and goes to pick it up.

At that moment alone, Beatel looks at Chase with an unsettling feeling. 

“How did  you  do that?” Beatel holds his tone, but he knew this wasn’t as friendly as before.

Chase used Earth magic. Chase used Beatel’s magic.

The moon lowers, and the sun rises until it’s up to the mid sky.

“Eka is awake,” Chase muses.

“She will know soon enough. If you tell me first, I can reason with her.”

“Reason about what?” Jack asks on his way back. He wasn’t an idiot, but by all applications, it was more convenient to be. Chase has mentioned before that naga’s magic is always elemental in nature. Eka is a child of the sun and can bend light into illusions. Beatel is a child of earth, and he can turn dirt into structures. And Chase, he is a child of the sun, and he has control over the fire but also of dirt. It won’t be the first time in which Jack has observed Chase performing magic outside the limitations set.

“I’m just curious, how did you guys do all that?” Beatel still hoped that they would come clean on their own, but they didn’t.

They moved indoors, the wind was starting to blow again, and the fires were all already lit. 

Jack and Chase explained their thoughts during the fight. And Beatel decided that if they didn’t want to tell him, they didn’t have to, he would know soon enough.

Instead, he enjoys his time with the two men. 

“I like you, you two keep me guessing! But if I was serious from the beginning, you two would have lost.” Beatel crosses his arms.

“Hey! That’s unfair, we beat you! Take it like a man,” Jack growls, he was begging to understand why Chase was so defensive about his worth as a fighter.

“You are right,” Chase sighs, it didn’t come easy the second time, “I’m surprised we won too.” 

Jack blinks and shakes his head, about to argue. It wasn’t like Chase to say something like that, but maybe it’s what happens after you get your ass handed to you three times a day for two weeks. Maybe longer. Jack knows Chase is used to winning one on one fights with a landslide; it can be seen in his confidence. Winning by luck, by a last-minute act, or by the mercy of your opponent must still feel like losing to him.

“Good,” Beatel sticks his tongue out playfully mocking Chase, “I was wondering when would you start respecting your seniors.” 

Chase blushes at that, but Beatel had the heart to stop his mocking there.

“Okay, now that the examination is over-”

“Examination?” Jack turns from the fire, an old panic alarm set off in his brain, “I didn’t know we were being tested!” 

“Sh! Now that the examination is over, school can begin!” Beatel dramatically declares. 

“I don’t remember signing up for school,” Chase pokes the fire with his claws.

“I specifically remember dropping out of school,” Jack calms himself out. 

“You two are not fun!” Beatel pouts.

“I’m not going outside again, we can play another day,” Chase laughs at Beatel’s childish tendencies.

“We can play indoors,” Beatel slaps Chase’s hand away from the fire. A face forms in the fire that seems to thank him.

“Fire nymphs!” Chase pulls away, “this place is crowded with nymphs.”

“It might as well be their place,” Beatel snorts lightheartedly, “Chase, you are easy, so I’ll go with you first.”

Chase glares at him.

“I take back most of my previous pointers in your stands. I can see now that modifications were to personalize the style or allow you to move while injured.” 

“Wait, then, there is no way to improve them?” Chase felt even worse than when he was first told he needed to improve. That meant that he would not get better.

“In those particular styles, no. It’s time to introduce new styles into your arsenal.”

Chase nods, which made perfect sense. 

As a naga, he only learned the same fighting styles taught by his parents. While Chase picked up techniques with time, he hasn’t decided his time to learn a new style.

“Now Jack-”

“I got speed and dexterity but zero strength. I gotta run to a safe place to avoid getting in the way.” The elf rolls his eyes. This wasn’t the first time he had an evaluation of his performance.

“Yes, but also. Uh, you are very imaginative,” Beatel smiles. He didn’t truly understand Jack’s case. The elf was physically and magically weak. All that was left was his brain, but how could he tell Jack to use it more? 

The day turned into the afternoon, and soon it was time for dinner.

The dinner was marked by Eka’s absence. People attempted to talk, but a slow raising tension heavies their every word. In the end, everyone settled for quickly eating in silence. 

They were about to part ways when Eka interjected them at the dining room entrance.

“Already done with dinner?” Eka hums to herself.

“We had a sparring section in the morning and worked up an appetite,” Beatel smiles, “if you would like some company, I can sit with you while you eat. I’ll tell you about our epic fight.”

Eka gives him a soft smile, “thank you, but I was actually looking for Chase and Jack. I’m happy I found you before you two left for the night.” 

“What do you-” Jack remembers how he was trying to be more polite to Eka to make up for his previous bratty behavior, “can we help you with something?”

“Yes, if you two would follow me to my study,” Eka waits for them to agree and turns right.

“Would you like me to come?” Beatel asks, sounding worried.

“No, I just have a few questions,” Eka gave him a reassuring smile.

Jack looks at Chase, they turn right. Everything Eka leaves, she turns left. So either she has kept Chase and Jack in an illusion the whole time or she started one right now.

They reach Eka’s office in no time. The place was designed to be cozy more than imposing. It was as Jack remembers it, just a little messier. It took a suspiciously short time to get there.

Dandy leans on a table, looking over papers and leaves. His usual pristine appearance was less than perfect, his thick curls were free to hang loose, and his uniform-like attire was replaced by a light bathrobe. 

“Dandy, would you make tea for our guests?” Eka asks but Dandy us too preoccupied with the paper to appropriately respond. 

“I’ll send someone with tea,” Dandy bows, “I must go now.”

The nymph doesn’t wait for permission. He leaves, slamming the door after himself.

“Is he okay?” Jack asks. Dandy always seems well put. Maybe he was embarrassed about being caught in Eka’s office -” this is your bedroom.”

Chase doesn’t react to this piece of information. He knew he was going in a personal place for Eka. He could feel her magic tightly laced in the air. The magic was too  _hers._ If it came to it, Chase could not use it.

“It’s a precaution,” Eka looks down, she seems worried, “but I doubt I would need it.” 

The next second was a loaded one. Chase and Jack shared the same question, but neither dare ask it.

Eka moves to an armchair and picks a piece of paper.

“Jack,”

“Me?!” Jack jumps back, assuming whatever this is about. It was about Chase, “what did I do?” 

“Nothing bad,” Eka laughs at his reaction, and it helps defuse some of the tension, “that I know of. The nymphs had taken a liking to you, so I’m sure they will cover for you.”

“Ah, okay,” Jack tries to pass his nervousness with a forced laugh. 

“I was just looking at this drawing of yours, someone dropped it at my desk.”

“Yeah,” Jack inches closer to look at the paper. He didn’t know why he was so scared, Maybe because in the past week, he has grown to understand how absurdly strong she is. Jack looks at a design he made for a scissor sharpener, “that is an um invention of sorts. I made, I drew, it’s not ‘made’ yet. I notice how popular the scissors are around here and how they all seem to need sharpening. So, I, well, I thought I could build a machine that could sharper the scissors. See here? That level spins the barrel. And the barrel is made of stone, at the bottom is a pool to make sure the stone is wet. Here to place the scissor blade. For this, to work, the scissors had to be able to come apart. I measured all the scissors and made a standard scissor holder that will, uh, hold the scissor in place as someone spins the level, and the stone shapers the scissor blade. Does it make sense? It’s not perfect yet. It’s a work in progress-”

“ You  struggled with your magic,” Eka follows with her fingers the diagram. It makes sense now that Jack explains it.

“I, yes. But that’s not why I want to make machines.” Jack was surprised by the sudden change in subject. But he didn’t want to revert to self-pitying. He didn’t want to think of his biggest flaw right after talking about his invention. Which he believes would work.

“That’s not what I meant,” Eka closes her eyes, she looks tired, “I thought it was ironic. Your low magic tolerance is a great disadvantage in our world, yet I couldn’t think of a better-equipped elf.” Eka copper eyes look deeply into Jack’s ruby gaze, “Your innovation is something no amount of magic could compete with.” 

“You mean that?” Jack asks so quietly he could barely hear himself.

“I hope to meet you again, and see how strong you become. But that knife doesn’t suit you, find a weapon that suits you better -even if you have to create it yourself.” 

Jack nods, letting her advice sink in. He lets her words reach deep within him, a part of him that has been craving for those words.

“I’ll also give you a piece of advice,” Jack wasn’t sure what took over him, but he wanted to give something back to Eka, “don’t assume you will always be safe if you stay in one place -just cause you are strong here.” 

Eka’s eyes widen. It sounded like a threat, but it wasn’t. Those words were the wisdom Jack has accumulated over the years. The one-sentence summary about his life through his clan, the forest, the city, the desert, and now.

“Thank you, Jack,” Eka considers reaching out to hug Jack, but she would be postponing the inevitable, “Chase, may I have a word with you now?”

It wasn’t a real question. It was the reason they are here. 

“Yes, of course,” Chase stays in place.

“Do you want Jack to stay?” Eka asks, wondering many things at once.

Chase turns and looks at Jack in the eye. He has grown to care and trust the elf, and he hopes he can continue to do so, “yes.” 

Jack oddly stands in place. He didn’t think Chase would allow him to stay given the option. 

Eka massages her forehead. She is going to get a headache for sure, “then I assume Jack knows you are Heylin?” 

“Yes, I explained to him,” Chase did feel guilty from keeping things from Jack. 

“Mm,” Eka stares at him, “the way you told me your story. I assumed your ties with the Heylin were severed.” 

“Ties to Heylin can never be cut.”

“Oh, they can. That they can’t is a lie to keep members from attending to leave, and it justifies yourself for staying,” Eka examines Chase’s reaction, but the man holds an impressive poker face, “it is just a lie. Another lie in a long list, just like how Heylins cannot be killed,” Eka noticed Chase’s eye twitch, if only for a fraction of a second, and she beacons him to move closer. He doesn’t.

“You are knowledgeable of the Heylin’s darkest secrets.” Chase hisses from his place, and Jack feels his neck tense with the heavy atmosphere in the room.

“I have been around for a while, and I like collecting stories. It’s only natural that I’ll learn these things,” Eka moves closer to Chase, “you mention that you want revenge. Does Jack know that the witch you want it’s still alive?” 

“No, but neither did I.” Chase looks at Jack from the corner of his eye which covers his mouth in shock and confusion, “I thought that Wuya could have been killed during my slumber.” Chase keeps his eyes on Eka.

“You thought. The Heylin can be killed, but they are extremely hard to kill. Why would you think she would be dead?”

“Because she and I were planning to dethrone Hannibal Roy Bean, leader of the Heylin,” Chase explains and adds, “I assumed that after betraying me, the old bitch got betrayed herself. She has a habit of making many enemies.”

Eka stops meters away from Chase, he still couldn’t feel any hostile intent, but she was too close for his taste. 

“That makes sense. Until there, your story makes sense. A Heylin would have power, knowledge, and reasons to hunt you. Wuya gave you the cursed knife, and she was on a tricky path herself. However, it’s Xiaolin monks who are hunting you,” Eka extends his arm and raises an eyebrow when Chase nearly jumps into a fighting stance. He looks at the scrolls and takes them. They have a profile of the hunters. He reads as quickly as he can, “what do you notice?” 

Chase stops and looks again. They all come from different places, all are different races, they master different elements, and are incredibly skilled, “they are all affiliated with the Xiaolin temple and are magic users.”

“I should have asked you, ‘what is missing?’ Instead,” Eka contemplates, “they don’t have a single connection to the Heylin. These four monks are extraordinary fighters, and you should be rightfully scared if you face them. Individually, they are worth a small army. But together,” Eka shakes her head, “Whoever sent the monks wants you dead for good. I assumed Heylin was pulling strings, but my spies came with a different story. A Xiaolin master sent them to recover something from the desert and capture, dead or alive, the naga king,” Eka holds her breath and asks, “So tell me, Chase Young, why is the Xiaolin after you?” 

Chase stays silent, as he is still putting together pieces in his head. 

Jack blinks in confusion. Chase didn’t say anything about what Eka is talking about. When Chase Young told him he would share his story with Jack, it was only a partial truth.

“When I allied myself to Wuya to dethrone Hannibal, I knew I couldn’t trust her. I needed someone else. But no one was strong enough or stupid enough to go against Hannibal, except an enemy outside our circle.”

Eka covers her mouth and swallows back some curses.

Jack shouldn’t feel bad. Chase shared with him so much, and what he kept to himself were secrets relevant to the last great war between the Heylin and the Xiaolin. They had only known each other for a little over two months. They were just past strangers in the road. The elf understood why Chase chose not to tell him this part, but it still hurt him in a way Jack hasn’t been hurt before. 

“You formed an alliance with the Xiaolin, your sworn enemies.” Eka passes her hand over her closed eyes. 

“I needed an ally, someone I could trust-”

“They betrayed you too!” She shouts. The room holds still. 

Chase couldn’t look at her. She was right. Xiaolin, Heylin, soldiers in his own army, and citizens of the kingdom he did so much to create all betrayed him sooner or later. In the end, Chase was left alone.

He thought of Jack.

“I know now how to be more careful where I place my trust,” Chase thought of Jack.

“What was the plan?” Eka sighs. She already has an idea.

“We couldn’t kill Hannibal, no one knows how. But we could trap him. My task was to write the spell, and G- the monk would prepare the ingredients and place. It would require a lot of magic. If done right, we could make a cage that will hold Hannibal for a thousand years. But I was never able to finish the spell.” 

“I see. Chase, the monk, Guan, finished the spell without you, and he used it,” Eka waits until realization draws on Chase.

“Impossible, I saw the diagrams, and I knew the setbacks. It would take too long to cast the spell -even if it was complete it and-”

“You were the first prisoner,” there was no way of saying that softly. 

The room got cold. The fire burned high, but Chase felt a chill crawling in his back, and the space between his shoulders tighten until the end of his neck felt like it wanted to disappear. 

“No,” the naga couldn’t say more, his thought felt too big for his mouth, and the floor was suddenly too far away, “no, you are wrong.” 

Chase could not accept that he was his own downfall. Every step of the way, every decision he made, everything he worked for collapsed under him, burying him for nearly a thousand years. He was so out of it, he didn’t hear Jack walk to him until he felt the warm hand squeeze his. 

“Are you sure?” Jack asks, looking much taller than Chase remembers.

Eka nods. She would have explained how the last battle had been unbalanced in the Xiaolin favor. The historian could have drawn them a timeline of the weapons, strategies, and magic users, and their unknown origins -now Eka can confirm her suspicions, the magic was Heylin in nature. 

“They forced me to fall asleep. I couldn’t fight it-” Chase takes a deep breath. He was not even allowed to fight, “Wuya was also working with Guan-”

“And she was also imprisoned, just in a different area.” 

“So for a thousand years, the Xiaolin had grown while the Heylin paced in their cages.” Chase tries to organize his thoughts. 

“It’s a secret, you know. What the Xiaolin did, I saw pieces in history, but the story wasn’t complete until today. The story doesn’t exist without you. And to keep it that way, the Xiaolin will try to kill you.”

“The Heylin will kill me first when they get out. The thousand years are almost up,” Chase groans. It was too much all at once.

“If the monks don’t find you first, and they seem relentless,” Eka frowns, this is much worse than she imagined, “you can’t stay here. I don’t want to be caught in the war that is to come.” 

“I understand,” Chase sighs and bows, as deep as he can, he feels Jack’s hand tense against his, “you have been of so much help to me,” when he raises himself, he sees Eka has also bowed to him. 

“I hope we can meet again, I hope I get to hear the end of your story on your own mouth.”

“Thank you, Eka, I’ll leave by sunrise.”

Chase turns to leave, feeling numb to everything.

“What about Jack?” Eka asks from her place.

The quiet was more bearable this time.

“I’m leaving too,” Jack didn’t yet understand what he was saying, but he was sure of it anyways, “I already said I would.”

The way back to their room was clear. The air was cold, even as the fireplaces in the house burned to fight the looming winter, it was still just a few degrees above freezing.

Eka wasn’t hostile, she was defensive because she was scared. The strongest naga Chase knows was terrified of getting caught between the Heylin and the Xiaolin. The pair walk in complete silence, in her wisdom Eka choses to separate herself from future conflict, then what it’s to come?

Chase opens the door to their room; tonight will be the last night they spend here. The room was cold without a fire, but the bed was as ever inviting. 

Jack sits on the edge of the bed and kicks his boots before climbing to the center. Chase considers saying something, but the idea of explaining everything that happened shuts his mouth tight.

“Are you ever going to trust me?” Jack asks without turning to face him.

“I don’t know,” Chase answers without thinking, “maybe, I thought I trusted you. It’s harder than I thought-” he considers moving closer to Jack, but he wonders if Jack would want that right now, “maybe someday.” 

“I don’t want to wait,” Jack demands, feeling more hot tears building up. He feels like he doesn’t have the right to be so upset. After all, Chase was honest from the beginning. He said that Jack shouldn’t trust him and that he doesn’t know Jack.

The room was cold, but they still kept their distance. 

“Then don’t wait,” Chase didn’t want to say that, but he didn’t want to force Jack to follow him. It had to be Jack’s choice. 

Jack stayed quiet like he was considering it. 

The more Jack learns, the more dangerous and aimless Chase’s quest appears. -And maybe that’s why the naga keeps withholding crucial pieces of information because if Jack knew all of it, he might rightfully choose to leave him. 

The mattress sinks as Chase slowly climbs over it and settles for the corner, nearly falling to the floor.

“I can’t really decide if I don’t know what my options are,” Jack moves further from Chase but closer to the tail. The elf is careful to hug a non injured portion, and Chase felt as all the tension of his body left him at once, “did you know about the Xiaolin and the whole thing?”

“I should have known,” Chase breaths out, he felt hurt like he hasn’t in a long time, “I should have figured it out,” Guan betrayed him like Wuya did, like his generals, like his people and like everyone does. Chase thinks of Jack, “I don’t have anything else to say. Everything I did and why I did it has been told, now that I can see my own story retold for me to hear,” Chase closes his eyes tight and feels Jack’s fingers stroking his scales. He feels the invisible scars under the elf’s digits and it grounds him as everything else falls out of his control, “I don’t seem like the great strategist destined to forge a kingdom and rule the Heylin as I thought. Now that I can see back, I don’t think myself more than a fool blinded by his own ambition self-made into a stepping tool in someone else’s plan.” Chase could feel his voice crack as frustration and anger mixed into sadness.

The confidence that propped Chase Young higher than the sun had finally crumbled after being chipped away for so long. The naga could see that he wasn’t the strongest, smartest or most talented in the land, and that he was a fool for ever thinking he was.

Jack was quiet, he was ready to eat his own words. Chase trusts him more than he ever thought he would. The shining uncorrectable king he admires had fallen into not more than another lost soul destined to the Calidi-Issimo desert. 

“I haven’t,” Jack touches the cold scales he has grown so close to in the last few months, now they seem more vulnerable than ever, “I have never traveled like this,” he presses his face against the smooth scales, now as Chase threatens to fall apart, Jack just wants to hold him before the naga finds the strength to hold himself, “it has been more fun than traveling alone for sure,” it was too dark for Jack to see, but he didn’t mind at all, he felt safe, “I’m happy. You stressed me to no end but I’m so happy.”

“I like traveling together too,” Chase feels the soft fingers lightly caressing his tail as he was fragile, it was a nice feeling. He never thought himself as fragile but it sooth a wound that Chase could not see and it was nice.

“The day I found you,” Jack sighs, “I would have never guessed I would’ve followed you so far, why am I following you when it’s your quest?” Jack feels his face heat up. He chose to trust Chase. It might be a bad decision, but it’s the one Jack took.

“I don’t have an answer, I have nothing to offer you,” Chase believes he has been depending on Jack too much. While the elf had been an ideal companion, Chase has always left enough room between them for him to run off when Jack eventually finds himself over his head. Chase is ready to accept the moment Jack views their adventure to be more trouble than it’s worth. 

“Chase, do you remember what you asked me back then?” Jack takes a deep breath, but he doubts Chase actually remembers. “You asked me ‘what do I want?’ At the time, it really shocked me. But you remind me,” Jack is not a great sorcerer, fighter or strategic, but “I want to be strong.” Jack knows he will become strong. At some point, a dormant force woke up within the elf, a raw entitlement born of a childish confidence he buried years ago resurfaced. But Jack wasn’t a child anymore, “and when I do, I hope you are ready.” 

Chase was speechless. He couldn’t think how to respond to that. He remembered when he told Jack his story and the elf held his hand. It had been so comforting. 

Gently, Chase reaches out and puts his hand on Jack’s shoulder and gives him one little squeeze. Jack puts his hand over Chase’s. In the dark, he felt safe and cared for.

“Jack,” Chase asks, feeling Jack hot hand over his, “why do you want me to trust you?”

“Why? Because I want you to lean on me too.” 

It was an honest and straightforward feeling, one that has no right to be as powerful as it is. 

Chase chuckles to himself, “that’s all,” he brings Jack closer to him until Jack’s back is against his chest, the tension between them dissolves the more they talk, “I lean on you plenty, Jack.”

Chase wraps his tail around them to protect them, and now in position, he is beginning to feel more tired than sad. 

Jack closes his eyes and relaxes his body against Chase.

“It sure is cold tonight,” Jack complains as the very end of Chase’s tail wraps around his naked ankle, “it’s best to travel together until we figure out shit out.” 

  
  


The next morning, breakfast was served earlier than usual. Plus two large bags filled with supplies were dropped next to the table. 

Chase and Jack peel away from each other, including the end of Chase’s tail buried in Jack’s pant sleeve. “It was cold,” Chase explains a bit embarrassed, “it will probably happen again.” Jack didn’t mind, but by Chase’s reaction, he could tell it was a bigger deal than he understood.

The nymph leaves after a shallow bow and closes the door. The meal in front of them was far more complete than any breakfast before. 

The clicks of dishes and the enthusiastic sound of bites formed an oddly comfortable ambiance. Whatever they couldn’t finish was wrapped in wax paper for the road. They packed their bag with food and a stolen blanket. 

After a quick last-minute shower and re-dressed in warm clothes, they were ready. Chase chose to wear a few blankets as a shawl instead of the light shirt Eka gifted him.

“Ready?” Chase asks while Jack secures the last bag.

“Ready,” the elf drops to the floor and turns to look at the room one last time, “I want to take a pillow.”

“Stop whining,” Chase would also like to take a pillow, “you know it would not last. It would take space-” the naga tilts his head, “Beatel?” 

“What with Beatel?” Jack doesn’t turn. He still considers taking a pillow. If they take it, it would be ruined within a week, and they had already taken so much from Eka’s home.

“He is waiting for us, behind the door,” Chase glares in confusion before turning to look at Jack.

“Does he know we are leaving?” Jack frowns. Why would Beatel come to say goodbye without Eka? 

After a quick pause, they open the door. Beatel stood there, wearing a knitted sweater. 

He crosses his arms and looks at Chase from top to bottom.

“The weather is changing fast, and you two need to make it to the city by the reef soon or will be stuck halfway through.” Beatel’s face was a vicious poker face, barely containing an instinct to kill his source of stress.

Jack leans closer, “good morning?”

“You can stay if you want to,” Beatel smiles, already knowing the answer.

“We were leaving,” Chase frowns and puts his arm in front of Jack.

“I know a shortcut,” Beatel’s tone stiffens again, and he leaves, not checking if the pair were following him.

Jack has seen people drop each other, but Beatel was so friendly just yesterday, and today he wasn’t even acknowledging what is happening.

Chase and Jack held their suspicions. They don’t know the territory but what they did know is that it’s a prairie -miles, and miles of flat land. Flatland is great to build a village, care for a farm, and even paved a road, but it sucks if you are trying to stay hidden. They will figure it out one problem at the time. 

“Shortcut, in flatland?” Jack smiles. If they can follow Beatel out of the prairie, then they can figure out the rest in the way. 

“I’ll let you pass through my territory. WHICH is the fastest way out of here.”

Chase wanted to decline, but he couldn’t. He didn’t like staying at Eka’s territory, but she was such a special case (plus there were no other options) that he allowed himself that one exception. Chase Young bowed his head and accepted help from a much older and wiser naga, but to do it again. He didn’t want to.

But what option does he have?

“I imagine there is no fast way around your territory.” Chase could feel his fangs digging into his mouth.

“No, if you want to be out of the prairie before winter really hits,” Beatel glares at the younger naga, “you are a desert snake. You really want to find a nice hole to burrow before it gets any colder.”

Jack saw Chase’s eye twitch. The naga looks away, embarrassed when he sees Jack looking at him.

“Hey!” Jack whispers and somehow shouts at the same time.

“Sh!” Chase looks at Beatel, who has continued ahead of them.

They follow in silence for a few more seconds.

“What was that?” Jack whispers.

“Mm, aggression?” Chase shrugs.

“I thought you two were friends or something.”

Chase narrows his eyes, “friends?”

“Or something?” Jack pushes the last word. He saw the two nagas get along as they had known each other for years, even after their rocky start.

Chase rolls his eyes, “we are nagas; we don’t befriend each other. We barely stand each other.” He really believed that, but the last weeks at Eka’s house had challenged that truth.

“What about Eka?” Jack could also think of multiple times in which Beatel was too nice for a no-friend.

“She is different,” this whole ordeal was wrong, “but even her. She is not a friend, Jack.” 

The whole thing didn’t feel real anymore. Chase didn’t know what about being allowed to crossed Beatel’s territory made his situation so much worse. Why being permitted to do something that would help him was irking his mood? He knows that he should be thankful for Beatel’s tolerance. But all he could think was about Eka’s kindness, and Mada’s gift, Jasmine’s advice, Sunny’s warning and-

“Hey, don’t say that we would have been captured if not for her,” Jack noticed Chase balled up fists, “you are not used to it at all.”

“Use to what?” Curiosity snaps Chase out of his thoughts.

“Depending on the kindness of others. Knowing that you had no options besides what is being offered,” Jack knows all too well what it’s to survive because someone took pity on you, “I hate depending on the mercy of others. After all, it reminds me of how weak I am.”

Jack thought about Chase’s words last night. The naga confessed to his feeling of being betrayed and used as a stepping stool and then discarded in the desert.

Chase looks at the elf, “when did you become so wise?”

Jack laughs and blushes “is just something I noticed!”

They walk through the main doors to the cold winter air. The pair hugs themselves as the wind pulls on their clothes. 

Chase keeps forgetting and being reminded, he isn’t the king he was once. He is not as strong as he was once. He isn’t who he once was. 

They followed Beatel out of the property.

The wind picks up, and Beatel stops in the middle of the field.

He turns, smiling brightly at them, nothing but miles of dead grass behind him. 

“My territory is not as grand as Eka’s, but it’s awe-inspiring!” Beatel grins at them, and Chase and Jack stare at each other and them at the land. They share one single thought while looking at the dead grass.

“It’s there, like, a magic barrier?” Jack asks nervously, “because, I see,” the elf looks at the muddy floor and then the horizon. He sees nothing.

“Prepare to be impressed!” Beatel whips his tail against the ground and it cracks. A wide long tunnel opens in front of them, “my underground Home!” 

Chase and Jack make a collective ‘oh,’ immediately followed by a ‘wow.’

“An underground lair,” Chase shakes his head with cheerful disbelief, “truly ingenious.” 

Beatel enjoys the praise and guides the pair deep into his tunnel system. 

The floor had been treated to form a road that was smooth and easy to follow, magical crystals lined up the ceiling to light up the way, and the walls were held together by roots. The air in the tunnels was cold, but it was still better than traveling outside. 

“The dirt around these areas are packed with old magic,” Beatel explains as he touches the wall, and vines grow out only to die immediately, “stay off the walls, keep going straight until you are on the other side. It will take you around three days, and you still will have to travel for the other two or three more days to make it to the city. But at least you will not be exposed to the elements.” 

They thank Beatel and part ways. 

Underground was an odd experience, both creatures are followers of sky entities, and they felt disconnected without a clear view of the sky. Yet, it was amazing to be so deep within the ground. Jack inspects the walls, floor, and ceiling while Chase speaks about the many spells possibly used for the making and maintenance of the tunnels. 

But the excitement of being underground died once they could no longer see any exits, just tunnels. 

They stop for a meal, and Chase recognizes that it has been at least half a day.

Soon, after another half a day, the pair were bored. Chase had something to do -even if the task was simple to advance, it was something.

Jack fell asleep on Chase’s tail.

When Jack woke up, they were still moving.

The elf climbs Chase’s back. Chase hears him coming and smiles when he feels the warm weight of Jack on his back. Jack hangs his arms over Chase’s shoulders. They had important things to talk about and many issues to deal with, but they don’t do so. They talk about colors, fancy clothes, music, alcohol, and plays.

Jack sings a few ballads and talks until his throat is dry. 

Chase tells him about his favorite weapons and the many fights he has won.

Days passed, and everything at night feels colder than the last.

Chase lost his appetite by the second day, and he refused to eat the third. 

It takes them five days to find the exit of the tunnel. As promised, they could see the city from their new location. It was definitely a few days of travel, but they could make a camp and rest for a night before hitting the road again.

They found an area with trees they could use as shelter. Jack notices how they look too well cared for and out of place to be wild, but there isn’t anyone around here in miles. The snake had felt these temperatures before, but never for this long. 

Jack builds a platform of branches and rocks and covers them with a few blankets. While Chase works in the fire. The wood was too wet, and it didn’t want to light up. 

Jack sits on his incredibly uncomfortable bed and watches the naga struggle before fishing a candle out of their supplies. 

“Can you light this one?” 

“A candle won’t do much,” Chase uses a little magic to light up the candle, he could do the same for the wood, but it would require more magic than he is willing to put in a temporary camp. 

“Yeah, but,” Jack rips an old cloth and soaks it with oil before lighting up with the candle, “it might help get the fire going.” 

Chase takes the flaming cloth and nearly brings the fire to his chest instead of the camp. It still takes far too much effort to light up a simple fire for the night.

“Everything is wet,” Chase frowns. He has never dealt with this much moisture in the air. He gets on the bed, crunching the branches under him, and placing Jack on his lap.

“I guess!” Jack wasn’t expecting Chase’s skin to be as cold as ice, “not more than any other winter-” he elf stops to think. The ‘prairie’ where Chase was raised was enchanted, so winter never got too cold. And most of his adult life was spent in the desert or in a warm-weather agriculture kingdom, “you know what winter is, right?” 

“I know what winter is!” Chase acts offended, “it’s a well known and documented season.”

“But you have lived through winter?” Jack was raised by a nomad clan which follows the moon, he has lived through plenty of rough winters, and he knows the difference of being told it will be cold versus having to suffer through the cold.

“What is that at a distance?” Chase points, and Jack tries to see whatever he is pointing at.

“What?” The elf squints his eyes, he follows Chase’s fingers that darts from one place to another.

“Is it ash? No, I would have smelled the smoke.”

Then a perfect white snowflake delicately lands in front of them.

“Snow? Are you pointing at snow?” Jack wants to laugh but worry glooms over him, “Is this your first time seeing snow?”

Chase leaves their small warm shelter to go investigate the speck of ice. 

“Yes, I heard of snow, but I have never seen it until today,” he smiles at the floor, trying to make out the shape of the snowflake, “no one said it would be this small.” 

Another snowflake falls near the naga, and soon a soft blanket of snow is covering the ground.

Their cold touch was too pretty to mind, and it made the snake feel calm and sleepy. While Chase lazily attempts to catch the snowflakes before they fall to the ground, Jack packs their things back up.

“We gotta keep moving,” the elf warms the blankets over the fire before draping them over Chase, “we can’t risk being buried in snow in our sleep.”

“Buried?” Chase laughs and sighs happily, he extends his arms out to feel the snow and Jack notices how they don’t melt when they touch his skin, “they are so tiny.” 

“Like sand?” Jack crosses his arms and waits for a response. The naga seems lost in thought, “you are cold-blooded, aren’t you?” 

“I usually sleep during the cold,” Chase closes his eyes as he could almost connect two dots together. He felt tired.

Cold weather makes his heart slow down, and he is forced to sleep -but only during long periods of cold. 

“Shit!” Jack looks around for something to use as shelter, a cave-like the one back at the prairie or something. He thinks of Beatel’s words, ‘a hole to burrow in’ but the floor it’s too hard to dig one. The city it’s still days away, and the sun will come down soon.

“I could fall asleep for the remainder of this winter,” panic blasts in Chase’s head. He didn’t want to be forced into an unknown slumber again. He couldn’t do it again. The naga didn’t know if he would have the strength to keep going after everything that has happened, and he has lost, he couldn’t do it again.

“We have to go back to the tunnels!” It will be cold there, but it will protect them from the snow until Jack thinks of something better. 

And more importantly, Chase would be at a safe place instead of in the open field because there is no way Jack would be able to move Chase once he falls asleep. 

“They are close,” Chase says as a matter of fact, “and only Beatel can open them. Our only choice is to keep going, and hopefully find something in the way,” the naga felt fear balling up in his chest. He felt his fear burn up until he could barely breathe, but his heart was calm and slow. Chase couldn’t do it again, and he thought of Jack. 

“Let’s go,” Jack helps Chase secure their bags, but Chase insists for Jack to carry one, in case they are forced to part ways, “we can’t lose any sunlight.” 

They move in a straight line. It’s harder to move now that the floor is covered in snow. Chase can feel his body shiver in a futile attempt to produce heat, but he knew it won’t work. 

After an hour of travel, Chase was advancing slower than Jack. The snake stops to look at the sky, it doesn’t seem like it would stop snowing any time soon, and Jack pulls his arm. At that point, the naga made himself face that he won’t be able to win against winter. He feels not weak but numb, as if his tail had fallen asleep a few minutes ago, his fingers feel as if he were wearing layers and layers of gloves, his mind is becoming heavy, and he has difficulties keeping his eyes open. Everything, absolutely everything, was a blinding white, except for Jack’s fiery red hair. 

“I can’t go any further,” Chase declares, and Jack frowns.

“I never thought you were quieter! I saw you go further during a sandstorm. This isn’t even a sprinkle,” Jack pulls Chase’s arms, but it was nearly deadweight. 

“No,” Chase curls his tail painstakingly slowly, each muscle nearly breaking in the effort to move, “my blood is freezing,” the naga didn’t know if he was strong enough to survive a sudden hibernation. Or if it was strong enough to face reality afterward. Still, he has to try to give himself the best chance he can. 

“Can you use magic?” Jack squeezes Chase’s hand, but it was like holding a rock.

“To what use, it will continue to snow,” Chase coils his tail around himself, covering his more vulnerable spots, “Jack, I understand if you leave. I don’t want you to feel obligated to care for me,” he focuses on Jack’s pretty face as the world around them becomes hazy. 

“Bullshit!” Jack didn’t know when he started crying but couldn’t stop, “you are just gonna add me to the mile-long list of enemies!” 

Chase laughed before closing his eyes. He wanted to say something before falling asleep, for all he knew, this was the last time he would see Jack. He settled with a simple request, something he has asked of Jack over and over again, ‘please don’t cry.’

“Stay until I fall asleep,” Chase found himself saying, and he would have begged if he had the strength for it. 

Jack observes as the handsome face of the naga disappears in a sea of scales, and he sits there waiting for Chase to speak again. 

But he doesn’t.

“Chase?” Jack knew the naga was gone. He presses his palm over the tail. The scales had lost their pretty green color and morph into a deep grey. The elf takes one deep breath, closes his eyes, and presses his forehead against the cold scales. 

The elf goes over a list of every single item they own, and none of it would be of any use. Even the magical knife that started all of this didn’t have actual magic Jack could use. 

The closest source of heat is the one they left, and insufficient to warm up a Chase.

Jack thinks back to the trees. He could cut down the trees for materials to make a sled. But he didn’t have the tools and strength to build it, and if he did, he would have to figure out how to get Chase into the sled and then pull it by himself for four days to the city? 

Plus, the day was almost over, and soon the moon will take her reign in the sky. Jack closes his eyes tighter. He will leave Chase. The elf is a survivor, and he will forever put his safety over anyone else’s. It wasn’t as he didn’t care for Chase, Jack justified himself, it wasn’t as he didn’t love the man -Jack froze at his own thought, he just wanted it to live. 

“If I leave, does that mean that I betray you?” Jack asks the naga deep into his slumber, “after all, this is how I found you, so in a way,” the elf could barely talk with the knot in his throat, “it’s as if nothing has changed at all.” 

The elf snaps his eyes open and pants as he has just been running, “everything changed!” Jack argues to no one, “I’m out of that desert,  **you** got me out of that desert!” 

He feels the wind blow a low lifting the light snow around them, like a wave in the ocean. 

“ **I** got you out of your palace, and I’m gonna get you out of here,” Jack takes a deep breath and searches for the moon, he needs her power. He puts his hand over his chest, after facing in the lake he knows he suffered a blow to his heart, but he needs her tonight more than ever. Jack stops and looks behind him. He could feel the moon. He could feel moon magic. 

“Moon followers,” Jack hasn’t searched for another moon elf in decades, the wind blows a little stronger, “people.”

Against all his knowledge in how to survive the wilderness in the snow, Jack lets his supplies behind. He covers Chase with blankets and clothes. Jack just takes their money, a cloak, and knives. 

“I’ll be back,” he promises before springing in the direction of the magic. Moon magic practitioners tend to be reserved and wary of outsiders. If they are elves, Jack might have a chance.

Jack runs as fast as he can. He blocks all his senses until he can only sense a single simple path.

They were not very far from where they were. The elf could feel his blood boil. They have to sense a creature as big as Chase passing by. They must have felt in ways Jack couldn’t, even as he held Chase’s hand, the naga’s essence weakening until he fell into a slumber.

The sharp cold cuts Jack’s cheeks, and the icy air burns his throat as he runs up to the border. Even if Jack couldn’t see any signs of civilization, he knew they were there, hidden and kept safe by an illusion barrier.

“I’m Jack-” the elf stops, maybe they could recognize his old name, “Sylarus. I’m Jack Sylarus from the Gibbous clan, I was traveling past this land, and my companion fell ill!” Jack projects his voice as a professional, he speaks between breaths, unwilling to take a full break to catch his breath, “Please, he needs immediate help!” 

No one came.

“I’m a member of a moon clan,” Jack pulls out his selenite knife, “I’m requesting help!” 

No one came, and Jack felt a little more desperate.

“Please!” He begs, “I have money, I’ll pay you.”

No one came, and Jack began to cry, but he didn’t stop asking for help.

The night came, and the moon took her place. The elf could feel her pull, but the knife damps her effect. 

The knife that started it all.

He looks at it and wonders what it even does? He couldn’t sense it’s magic, but something deep within Jack told him that it was powerful beyond his comprehension. 

“I have this knife,” Jack offers up the item, and in the darkness, he sees white lines connect the ground to the sky, “what?” 

The elf blinks in confusion, but desperation is used as a substitute for bravery, he steps close until he is into the grabbing range of the white ropes. They look thick but light and magical? 

Jack looks at the knife in his hand and then back at the rope, what else could he do? He takes the rope and easily cuts it with the knife. Once cut, it disappears, and yellow and orange light color the white snow. Jack looks up to see a town.

People were loudly talking among themselves, unaware that Jack could see them. They were tall, brawny, and white-haired. They were putting up a vote on what should be done with him. While many sympathize with Jack and feel sorry for the elf, no one wanted to venture outside to help. 

“It could be a con artist!” A woman shouts, and she is met with support and opposition.

“Hear him, he sounds sincere!” 

“And you think you can tell the difference between a con artist and an actual person in trouble!”

“Even if he tells the truth, why shall we help him? We are all still recovering from that fire-”

“Shut up!” a woman lying in the ground with a brown bottle in her hand shouts, “shut the fuck up before I-” she takes a drink, “before I make you.”

It does make the roaring crowd quiet, but it was an uncomfortable sort of silence, not an actual scare type of silence. 

“Where is Selina?” a man asks, and the crowd echoes the question.

“Selina is working on next year’s planting plan and this… she said that if someone volunteers and voucher for the strangers, they can go help them -but, I’m here to discourage that behavior. I know many will feel bad for the young man, but we did not put them in that dire situation, and I don’t see why we should endanger our homes and friends for him or his _ companion _ .”

At this point, Jack has been quiet for a suspiciously long time, after hours of none stop shouting and pleads of help. He was quiet.

People look at him questioningly before everyone comes to the same conclusion.

“It almost looks like he can see us,” a child from the crowd whispers, and Jack nods.

“That’s cause I can,” Jack clears his throat, and it was almost funny the immediate mood shift. Because it was something to be cruel, it was another thing being found out to be openly hateful. People look at the floor as everyone silently wonders how much has the stranger heard, but a crowd will always be crueler than a person, and they all reach the same verdict. 

“Listen, we saw your friend, he is too big for us to carry and house, and you don’t even know for how long,” the man from before steps closer, and Jack notices how tall all of them are -but they are not elves.

“It won’t be long, and I can make myself useful. I’m, I’m a blacksmith-”

“You are lying,” the man stops Jack, “and we have blacksmiths here. Listen, I’m sorry, but we don’t trust you, and there is nothing we can do. I’m sorry.”

Jack felt his chest collapse. This was his last option.

“Now,” the woman from the floor stumbles into a standing position, “now you are lying —you little piece of shit. There is plenty for you to do,” she takes a few shaky steps until she is next to Jack, only then Jack could tell how big she was. The woman was easy Jack’s height, 6’3”, and built like a tree, “you are just a coward.”

“Naza, please, don’t,” another woman, who looks very similar to the drunk next to Jack, whispers, but it doesn’t seem to calm Naza at all.

“Oh, hi, Monce, nice to hear from you,” Naza takes one long sip of her bottle until it’s entirely vertical for Monce’s embarrassment. Once she is convinced that it’s definitely entry, she throws it somewhere, and it lands with a crushing sound, “sorry. I just can’t do anything about it.” 

The crowd burns with anger but no one says anything. Jack shakes his head, he doesn’t have time for this. 

“You are right, you don’t have a reason to trust me,” Jack steps closer to the group and people back away, “I don’t have much to offer either. But I beg of you, a little of compassion, just a little of your care. Please help me save my friend and I promise I’ll pay my keep somehow. I promise!”

People continued to back away, and slowly and awkwardly leave.

Jack gawks at the empty space where people used to stand. He shouldn’t be surprised, he has lived in close communities, he knows their strong ‘us’ versus ‘the rest’ mentality.

“I’m sorry,” Naza says softly, as she truly is really sorry, “tell me, where is this guy. And is he as big as everyone is talking about?” 

“Chase?” Jack nods and laughs, “he is a fucking beast.”

How are they going to carry him?

“Then, shall we steal a wagon?” Naza stumbles forward and establishes her equilibrium.

“You have a wagon?!” Jack let hope overtake him.

“Sh! No, I don’t. That’s cause I said steal,” Naza frowns unsure of why Jack couldn’t follow her logic, “let’s go. It’s only gonna get colder and darker -and, -and, your friend is alone.”

The woman moves and Jack follows her after a second. They walk past a few shops in front of a bar, a few patrons give them funny looks but Jack knows how it is. As long as he is with someone he can move around. 

Even though Naza said ‘steal,’ Jack assumed she meant borrow, these small towns don’t allow you to steal since everyone would know who did it. 

There was a large wagon with two strong horses at the front.

Naza pats one of the horse’ sides before going to open the wagon, it was full with packages. 

“Shit,” she complains and Jack looks for a place to put the things. 

Naza carefully puts the door down, changing into a ramp and moves to the front. She cranks a lever that lifts the front of the wagon and the packages slide down. Jack helps by pulling the ones that are stuck, they do this as quietly as they can while taking small breaks when they think someone heard them. 

The last package to slide down fell with a crash, it was glass, and the contents spill over the rest of the packages. 

“Fucking shit in a stick,” Naza whines and signals Jack to hurry up the wagon, as she cranks the lever the other way.

“Who is that?!” People come out of the tavern, screaming for answers.

Jack was expecting a huge commotion, but instead he got silence. After a tense second, he heard footsteps crunch the snow below and Naza’s voice telling the horses to move.

The wagon moves out of place and Jack sees all the patrons of the tavern look at them go without saying a word.

The elf makes his way to the front through a small window in the wagon and tries to tell Naza where to go. However, it’s too dark for Jack to see.

Thankfully, Naza already knows where Chase is. 

“They told the whole town where you two were, for safety reasons.”

“So no one goes there by accident,” Jack nods, he was feeling tired, but there was much to do.

“You said you come from a clan -of elves, but I assume we are all the same,” Naza chuckles without any humor, “so you know how it’s in there.”

“Mm,” Jack feels a familiar feeling creep back on his back, “they are all so full of shit.” 

Either say anything for a moment, Jack worried that maybe he said something he shouldn’t have. 

“And you really don’t notice, until the day you need help, and all their words of community and love and care and whatever turned out to just be words.” Naza stops the wagon in front of a boulder in the road. 

Jack jumps off and moves to wipe the snow off Chase, while Naza fixes the wagon. 

“Hey!” Jack cries some more as he tries to get all the snow off. Naza watches him carefully.

“You left all your supplies behind?” She picks the bags first and throws them in the front.

“I need it to get to the town as fast as possible,” Jack looks at the wagon, they are gonna have to push Chase up the ramp. He hopes in the future they can laugh about this but right now it is terrifying. Right now, Chase’s body is frozen solid and Jack has actively kept himself from wondering if this could kill him, if Jack is moving a corpse and not a friend.

“And we made you wait,” Naza looked away, she was too drunk through half of that discussion and just let that guy wait in the snow. 

“We are here now,” Jack pats Chase one last time before turning, “that’s what matters.”

“Okay!” Naza tries to force herself to be enthusiastic, “do you have some rope?!”

Jack tears blankets and braids them together to make ropes, and both tides them on Chase.

It was like moving a boulder. Jack digs his heels on the frozen dirt as he pulls as hard as he can, and Naza screams as she pushes whatever amount of tons this man weighs.

It was an herculean effort to get him into the wagon. Where they will go from there is still a mystery.

Jack presses his back against the wagon and feels the cold wind take his sweat away. He was still panting when he recognized that they were back in town.

“You two are gonna have to stay with me,” Naza explains ignoring the onlookers.

“Are you gonna be okay are, um, after stealing this wagon?” Jack doesn’t bother covering his face, even if people didn’t know each member of their community, Jack has an easy to remember face. 

“Do you really care?” Naza asks and Jack was surprised by her sharp gaze.

“...are you sober?” Jack blinks. 

“I think so, maybe in a few minutes, but yeah, I’m sadly mostly sober,” Naza laughs but it sounds sad, “I have a fast system, it takes lots of booze to keep me happy. But, you didn’t answer my question.”

Jack considers his answer carefully, he remembers the guy back then accusing him of lying so confidently. He has to tell the truth, “you are our hostess, and our ticket to be able to stay in town, so yeah I care.” 

“Figures,” Naza didn’t seem hurt by the comment, “you don’t have anything to worry, no one will say anything to me,” she looks up, as they move past the main town into a more secluded area. Even in the darkness Jack could see the silhouette of the bare bones of a building, all lick clean by fire, “they all feel too guilty.” 

Naza drives the wagon inside the burnt up structure into a badly sealed up area. New wood has been hammer to reinforce the structure, and carps were pinned instead of walls. It was small, cold and about to fall down, but it was all it was left. 

Jack access the damage and finds the driest place to set blankets and make a bed. Then both of them work in getting Chase back down. It was like handling a boulder made of ice. The scales were so close together that if Jack hadn’t seen Chase fold himself into that shape, he would have never known. 

Naza brought a large metal place to start an indoor fire and left to take the wagon and the horses back.

Jack ran out of blankets trying to warm up Chase, but since they found him, until now, the man hasn’t made a noise or shown any sign that he wasn’t a large engraved rock.

By the time Naza was back, she was once again drunk and cared not for conversation. She fell on the floor, where she proceeded to fall asleep. 

Jack couldn’t sleep. He leaned into Chase, shivering at the contact and waiting for something.

The night slowly advances, and Jack feeds the fire every few hours.

Jack waits with his body lined against Chase’s.

The sunrise first rays break through the light carp where the roof once was, and before the birds began to sing, Jack heard it then faint and slow a single heartbeat followed by another over five minutes apart.

“You are alive,” Jack breaths out and immediately breaks into a new wave of tears.

Naza is awakened by the noise. She holds her head and squints at the light.

“Is he alive?” She mumbles and then stares at Jack, “by your face, I have thought that he kicked the bucket.” She laughs without any real humor again. 

“Thank you,” Jack hangs his head between his knees, “thank you, thank you, thank you so much.”

He couldn’t see the face Naza made. Jack didn’t notice how utterly sad she looked. 

Naza stands up, she picks up her lance resting against the corner of the tent and pouch filled with undoubted alcohol, “I’m going hunting, you keep him alive.”

Jack was tired, but he couldn’t sleep. He had to use the daylight. 

He steps out of the house, thought a large tent was a more fitting description and looks for things he can use to reinforce the tent. The elf had to be careful. Moon practitioners tend to be overly cautious and enchant multiple items around their properties. So Jack makes a small prayer before taking anything, as insignificant as it was. He took some branches to dry next to the fire, snow from tree leaves to boil for drinking, and then he found a perfectly sized rock. The rocks were flat and very similar in size, they made a path but Jack could use them to make a wall. After a few failed attempts at unburying them, Jack used a knife as a lever, and they came out easily. As Jack worked in unburying the rocks, he thought about the knife. It couldn’t be sharpened, and even now, the blade was ridiculously smooth, but it cut that rope. That rope Jack saw last night, it was magic. It has to be. 

The elf shakes the thoughts out; he didn’t want to think about it now. He wanted to build a wall, and that’s what he will think about. 

Jack used all day to bring the rocks in, the afternoon to line them up and pressed them together with clay, and the night to heat up the clay into a solid adhesive. 

Naza returned by then. She stumbled into her little home and saw a strange elf, a large rock and wall.

“Shit I drak, I drunk. I drank-” she rubs her face as she remembers the events of the night before, “right. There is a wall inside, how? There? Why is there-there a wall inside?”

“I built it-”

“You what? You what? You did what?” Naza folds over laughing, but as her laughter dies her sadness betrays her. She straightens her back and looks at the wall, “that’s a damn a damn wall, a damn good wall,” she smiles and looks at Jack. She stares at the red hands and the many cuts from working in the snow.

“Is it okay that I took them from the path? I can put them back before we leave?”

“No, I’m just surprised. That’s a damn that’s a wall,” Naza drops herself down and looks at Jack. The elf didn’t look like a big deal, but he had all the town in their tiptoes. 

A stranger comes with a huge lamia following all the way here. He can hide his magic to the point that he is nearly undetectable yet is strong enough to sever their illusion barrier. Moreso, Jack just unburied enchanted rocks like it was nothing and used them to build a wall in a day. 

People want the elf out of town, but who is going to come to Naza’s house. Who is brave enough to face their ugliest truth? 

“Thank you,” Jack crews on his lip, and Naza throws at him a paper bag. Jack opens it to find a piece of raw meat, he looks up, and Naza winks at him. 

“I got a fucking deer. I sold most of it at the market,” she pulls her coin purse and jingles it, two or three coins make a pitiful sound, “It was full. It was full. I got paid good, I drak, I drunk, I drank it. I drank my deer.” 

Jack nods, “thank you,” he takes out his other knife, the selenite knife, and uses it to cut the meat, “I really need this.”

Naza doesn’t say anything, but she noticed the dagger is missing the sigil of the Gibbous clan -that was a stolen knife. The woman wonders exactly who she left into her house, but then again, it doesn’t really matter.

“So are you just gonna build a new house around your companion?” Naza chuckles humorlessly again. 

“If it is okay with you, yes,” Jack says it without a single doubt in his mind that he can, and he will build a house in a single winter.

“Then,” Naza felt a shiver of something, “then you will need a workshop. I have one, it’s away from here, so it didn’t. It didn’t,” Naza couldn’t say it, she felt tears fill her eyes until her head hurts and she swallows back her sadness, “I still have a workshop, but you can have it. You will do something with it,” Naza laughs.

“Thank you,” Jack repeats. Naza was clearly a pitiful woman dealing with her own traumas, but Jack and Chase were saved by her kindness. But in moments like this, Jack could be bothered by thinking if that made him more pitiful than Naza, he had to focus on surviving.

Jack doesn’t say anything else. He lets her talk about nothing until she falls asleep.

The elf curls around Chase, even if he doesn’t look like himself at all, he presses his face against the side and listens. The heartbeat was weak and slow, but it was present, and it was sufficient for tonight. He questions himself, how far he would go for Chase Young, the fallen naga king? The elf decided that it didn't matter. He wanted to stay longer.

Jack's loyalty has long past a simple sense of duty or emotional investment into his traveling companion. 

Jack wasn't lying when he told Chase he wants to be stronger, but he doesn't have to do so by traveling with the naga. Jack could leave at any moment if he chooses to. The naga himself said so, exonerating Jack from any guilt or sense of duty. But, something about the man just felt so right to Jack. It wasn't his power and confidence, as Jack first thought. It wasn't his pretty face and dangerous smile. It wasn't Chase sense of humor and pouty face. It was so many things that made Jack happy to just stay with Chase.

That was sufficient for the elf. Chase made him happy by just being there, so Jack wanted to hold onto him for a little longer, even if that meant taking things too far. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Sorry this took so long :0 Many things had been happing in my life, one being that I was accepted into a research program and I gonna be so much busier so I have been writing less.   
> Still, this fic is still my main. And someday, I'll get to the point I wanted to make lol


	14. A Quarter of a House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted more angst for Jack. So he struggles building a house in the middle of winter, dealing with Naza, and he finally goes to see a doctor.  
> Chase wakes up! And Chase and Jack have a moment.

**A Quarter of a House**

Chapter 14

The next day Jack wakes up to the sound of fabric ripping as their tent collapses under the weight of the snow. Naza shifts in her sleep, not bothered by the snow entering her home. Jack pokes the fire and adds more branches to counter the new cold breeze entering their shelter. Sighing as he notes that he has to collect more firewood today and fix the ceiling's hole. 

So, Jack spends the morning picking firewood, the afternoon sewing the hole in the tent closed, and the night cleaning burnt metal pieces from the floor. That same night he found rat droppings by their supplies bags. Naza left to go hunting in the morning and returned late at night again, drunk and with another paper bag for Jack.

  
  


The third morning Jack collects more firewood for their ever-lasting fire, using his afternoon for rat hunting. Afterward, he tried to seal the floor entrances, and the rest of the night, he busied himself cleaning the floor. Naza returned not-drunk and in a bad mood with no dinner for Jack. Apparently, she was summoned for a town meeting. They wanted an update on Jack. She said nothing.

  
  


On the fourth day, Naza takes Jack to her workshop, like her home, it was clear no one cared for it anymore. It was dusty and lonely. But unlike her home, it was easy to see that the workshop was a once loved place. It was packed with materials and thoroughly organized. Jack spent all day melting the burnt metal he collected and turning them into nails, rods, an ax, and other building materials. The night was about planning, Jack uses charcoal and a ball of yarn to draw on the floor his future plans. 

  
  


The work was never-ending. The elf collected wood lines rocks, prepared planks, fixed the floor -he had to completely redo the floor because half of the foundation had water damage. The other half had fire damage, and there was a mold infestation growing in their rat infestation. Jack re-draws his flooring plans to decrease the perimeter. 

The week ended, and Naza stopped leaving in the morning. She didn’t want to deal with the townspeople asking her questions. Jack asked for her help, and she was surprisingly willing to work. She collected enough firewood for the coming days, carried rocks and sand from the workshop to mixed into a construction clay to re-do the foundation. The floor was the hardest structure to work with, but it will make the room degrees warmer once done. After a week of non-stop work, the house was the size of a room with a sturdy floor, a single rock wall, and the rest was a tent nailed together. But it made a world of difference.

Jack was setting the stones needed for the second wall and marking with a charcoal piece the space to set a chimney when he heard a sound of fabric moving. The first place he looked was up, but thankfully the ‘roof’ was still up. Then he looked down.

Chase had slightly untangled himself in his sleep; like a ball a yarn, his tail takes odd turns before spilling over the blankets. Jack drops the charcoal piece he was using to write measurements and his legs carry him next to the naga.

Chase looked sick. His skin was so pale, grey, and ashy, it matches the dark gray and dull scales. The flames kept burning next to Chase for over a week to shine a light on him, and Jack carefully touches the skin. It was cold, but not as nice. It was cold, but he could see the slow rise and fall of his breathing. He was cold, but Jack could see the golden eyes lazily opening to look around. 

“Uy Scuti, the bastard child of the moon, welcome back to the world of the living!” Jack breaths out before bending over to awkwardly hug Chase. 

Chase saw Jack, but his brain was still too asleep to formulate a full thought. He could only feel a nice buzzing feeling in his chest before falling asleep once again.

Their meeting was short, but it filled Jack with renewed enthusiasm. The elf informed Naza, who had slept through the meeting, the good news. She didn’t seem convinced, but this didn’t bother Jack. 

The elf leaves to collect more rocks with a wheelbarrow he made from a wine barrel and repurposed metal scraps. Jack shovels more snow in a day than he did in that winter. He was tasked with cleaning the roads back in his clan. 

The cold creeps into his gloves and damps his clothes, but Jack doesn’t stop. 

He follows the path over a mile and a half away from the house. The day passes slowly as Jack works. His arms burned, and he could hear the moon calling him in the winter night. 

“What are you doing?” A woman stands a few meters from Jack and crosses her arms, “who gave you permission to dig up my path?”

Jack turns and squints his eyes. It had gotten dark so fast, and he could barely make up the shape in front of him. There were a few trees near the house, but the further Jack goes, the more dense the trees are. A mile and a half in, the trees were densely planted next to each other, just with enough space to allow the branches to grow out. 

“Who is it?” Jack suddenly felt tired, as the day of work had hit him all at once. Work and work and work. Since when has he ever been so diligent?

“You don’t know, elf?” The woman spits out like it was supposed to be an insult.

“Lady, I don’t even know  _ what  _ you are, much less who you are?” The more time Jack stood still, the colder his body felt, and the more irritated his mood turned.

“You are in a Yeti village. I’m Blodeuwedd Brunner and-”

“I’m tired, and you don’t own this land,” Jack snaps. He was exhausted, and this woman was getting on his nerves. Maybe because he recognizes her tone from his clan, the high and holy, from a good family, holding the rules like a whip to punish the unruly but exempting themselves. 

“I, I-” Blodeuwedd was taken back by the aggressive response, “I have an agreement with the owner.”

“So Naza gave you permission to patrol her land?” Jack moved the knife from one hand to another. He didn’t mean to look threatening. He just needed to move his hands before the cold froze them. 

“Uh,” Blodeuwedd looks at the knife. She opens her jacket to show her own much bigger weapon. But Jack didn’t even react to it, “I had an agreement with the previous owner of the house-”

“Then you don’t have permission from the owner of the house,” Jack couldn’t see the sword the woman sports, and he kneels to pick another rock from the path and adds it to his pile, “unliked you, Naza granted me permission as her guest to reutilize the materials.” 

Jack couldn’t see the hurt looked in Blodeuwedd’s face.

“My family and the Merricks had this agreement for generations-” Blodeuwedd holds the hilt of her sword, her face heats up with embarrassment, and her fingers itch with a want to discipline the elf. He had been nothing but trouble since he got here. 

“That was then,” Jack’s tone was done. He picks up his wheelbarrow and pushes it over the snow, he has to hurry before it gets even darker, and he can’t find his way back, “but now, now you are trespassing.”

Blodeuwedd’s shoulders dropped. Many things changed in a short year. She watches Jack leave without looking back even once. 

People on a mission don’t have time to look back.

When Jack made it back, Naza was in the tent working with a bottle in her hand. The elf would have complained about her handling their scarce materials drunk, but she seems tipsy instead of the useless-drunk. 

He drops the rocks and the wheelbarrow on the pile. He waddles to the pile of blankets next to the fire and falls next to Chase. The naga wasn’t a block of ice anymore, but he was still unnaturally dense and cold. Once Chase was Jack's favorite place to nap, now it’s impossible to get a good night of sleep next to him. 

“Has he?” Jack shifted his position, but there was no comfortable rest no matter how much he searches.

“Woke up again? No,” Naza looks at the bucket with the clay she mixed. It was too much, but if they don’t use it today, it will be useless by tomorrow, “are you sure he woke up?” 

“I saw him open his eyes!” Jack tries to sit up, but he was so tired. He knows there is a lot more work to do, but he doesn’t think he can work any harder.

Naza looks at the pile of rocks Jack has brought, “Are you hoping we finished the second wall today? I thought you said you hadn’t finished making the support beam for the first corner-” Naza places another rock over their wall and takes a short break to massage her knuckles. They hurt but not as bad as her back and knees, “I don’t think I’m gonna be able to finish this wall on my own. We got the materials for the second wall. Who knows if we got enough for a third, much less a fourth, but we definitely don’t have the manpower.” Naza stops and waits for Jack to weigh in, but he doesn’t. 

“Jack?” Naza stands up and cracks her back, “what are we-” she stops, this is her territory, and she is doing a lot of the construction work. Still, it didn’t feel like it should be hers, “what are you going to do?” 

That was a good question. Jack had done his best keeping Chase warm with an ever-burning fire, but they won’t be able to sustain that for much longer. A shelter was a good idea, but it won’t be built overnight. ‘It could be built overnight if he uses magic,’ Naza considers, but if Jack hasn’t by now, then she has to assume it isn’t an option. 

The woman walks closer with purposely loud steps, but Jack was deeply asleep, curl-up and trembling next to the long tail. 

“You are sick, aren’t you? I can see it.” Naza takes off her vest and lays it over Jack. It should still be warm, “you can’t do this for much longer,” Naza felt so tired, and she could also benefit from resting tonight, “it’s gonna kill you sooner than later, and you,” she felt so lonely too, “you still have a lot to live for.” 

There was so much more to do. 

The wind over their tent blows and shakes the fabric like it wants to rip it. 

Naza moves away from the fire. The cold doesn’t phase her, and goes back to her spot. She can work for a little longer. It was almost a better distraction than a drink. Almost.

An hour passed, and she couldn’t bring herself to stop. 

Naza turns to look at the couple, they were a pathetic dirty mess, and there was something fragile about them. It was like seeing something about to break, but it wasn’t broken yet, which meant that it could be saved. So many things that could no longer be changed or fixed or saved burned in Naza’s mind every day for a year now, but looking at them made her feel something she forgot. 

She felt as if she were to work a little hard and a little longer, she could save them.

Hour after hour, the night was worked away, and Naza didn't stop until there was but a handful of rocks by her feet.

Jack wakes up, surprised to not only see the second wall nearly finish but the fireplace set. 

The elf turns, completely disorienting it.

“Did I fall asleep? Shit, Naza, I’m sorry- Wow!” The elf rubs his soared back and looks at the impressive wall, “you did that on your own?”

“You brought the rocks, beams, and clay, but I did put it together nicely,” Naza says from the floor. She smiles at her work. It just needs that last large beam to secure the connection between the second and third walls, the fireplace's metal pieces, and some strong alcohol as her well-deserved reward. 

“How did you finish the fireplace from inside?” Jack was ecstatic, this was more progress than he expected, but this also means he has to work even faster. 

“I mean, I have to go out. I did use some of our firewood to make a torch-”

“How much?” Jack runs to look at their reserves; it was enough for a day or two. “Gotta get more.” He sighs. Firewood seems to disappear. It takes nearly a whole day to collect and its use in two. 

“I can go get some today. You go finish whatever is needed to get this fire going,” Naza points at the fireplace.

“Why?” Jack looks at the fireplace, and his mouth hangs open, “-two fires going? Can we even maintain that?” Jack shakes his head, it would be great, but it would exponentially increase their need for firewood. 

“Oh no,” Naza laughs loudly and humorless, “we can barely keep up as it is.”

“So? Won’t it be better to focus on getting the third wall started? It would protect the fire, make it last longer.” A panic that seems ever-present in Jack since Chase went to sleep screams louder.

“A third wall? Start the third-?'' Naza moves her mouth, but she doesn't understand the words until she does, “are you crazy?! I have been working non-stop. You have been working non-stop. There is no way we can build this whole house. We can’t keep this pace up! One of us is gonna get sick, and then what you think is going to happen-”   
“I won’t get sick!” Jack screams back. He would have continued, but the look that Naza gave him made him reconsider. 

“It took you three whole days out in the cold to get those rocks, and two days and a whole night for me to build that. It’s impressive, but we have to eat, and we have to sleep. As much as you would like to save him, we, you. You can’t always save- listen, listen to me. I’m trying to help. A fire in a fireplace will burn slower and be more secure. Over here is the floor you made with a rock wall. It would be much warmer than that open space you two are sleeping on-”

“You are saying we should move closer to the fireplace,” Jack blinks. That makes sense, and it would be much more efficient. But how? 

“Exactly! After that, we can take a day to recharge and plan. And you could go see a doctor.”

“You said no one would be able to help him,”

“I meant for you. You looked like shit.” Naza looks at Chase. That man was either fine or dead. She really couldn’t tell. But she knew something was wrong with Jack. 

“How are we going to move him?” Jack ignores her comment. 

The last time they did, they needed the presence of two horses, and both of them had  not been working with little food and rest for nearly two weeks. 

“Yeah, that is going to be on him.” 

“How-How? How?”

“You said he woke up, so maybe, in a day or two, he could move. He will need help, but it would be more doable than if we try to move him.” 

Jack turns to look at Chase. At least he could see his face, still partially hidden under the covers.

There weren’t many options to choose from. 

“Maybe if we have the two fires -Only for a day or two,” Jack adds before he can be interrupted, “maybe the heat might help him wake up again.”

“It might make it an easier transition.” Naza nods, but that means she is going to need to get a lot more firewood.

“I need to go now if I want to get the chimney metal work done by nightfall,” Jack tries to dress up only to notice that he didn’t even bother to take off his coat and that the clothes over him were Naza’s, “thank you,” he returns the vest and notices a name embroidered in the neck, ‘Njord.’ 

Naza noticed him looking at it, “it was my brother’s.” She hasn’t even thought about it when she put it over Jack. A cold sweat broke on her back, and guilt returned full force; how could she ever forget? _ How dare she forget? _

“Are you okay?” Jack asks, but he was already on his way out.

“I just need a drink before I go,” Naza clung the vest against her chest, “be safe.” 

Jack leaves unaware that Naza won’t leave the tent at all.

The walk up the rocky terrain was just a short hike, but with the snow and the cold wind, it was an easy step from disaster. Going up, while tiring, it wasn’t bad. It was coming back down with a heavy load while racing the sun. That was dangerous. Today would be especially difficult. 

It was difficult to work, but it was the best part of this nightmare. 

Jack likes the days he gets to work in the workshop. It’s insulated, so once he lits up an oven, the whole room warms up. The ovens had been carved by hand and smoothed down by centuries of use. It was easy to see the new additions, the still-new drawers, and stand out sitting next to the veteran tools. The place smells like heat and coal, the metal clicks as Jack pours it on the graphite crucible, and the flames fan the air as Jack pushes the bucket into the fire. There is a trill that rushes through the elf; even as everything falls apart, this will always make sense. As the metal melts into molten metal, Jack opens another oven, the door swings heavy, and the coal is already a vibrant red. The elf pushes down his goggles, places a metal rod over them, and sets to work. Jack works the whole morning, his arms ache, and his stomach tries to eat itself, but he works throughout the day. He stops to drink honey as his only supplement whenever he feels faint and returns to the fire. The day is gone in a flash, and the elf dips the last piece in the water bucket. The steam sings words of praise, and Jack is satisfied with today’s work. 

Jack isn’t sure if Naza’s plan would work, or if Chase will be able to move, or if he would wake up at all. He straps the grate, screens and decides to leave the beam for tomorrow. 

The air outside the workshop feels extremely cold. The moon is high, but as long as Jack has the knife in his possession, she can no longer temp him. Yet his chest aches with longing. The walk felt shorter than any other day, maybe because he got a full night of sleep last night. The weight on his back made his steps on the snow more pronounced, but it will be worth it if they can set the fire tonight. 

The elf picks up his step when he sees the tent. 

As soon as he stepped inside, he knew something was wrong. The place was warm but dark. The fire next to Chase was a dying ember. 

“Chase!” Jack lets his baggage fall behind him and runs to get some firewood. He stopped when he noticed that they had the same amount or less than this morning, “Don’t scream!” Naza answers from a dark corner, and Jack freezes.

He turns in the direction of her voice and stares at the darkness with all the anger his tire body can muster, “you were here!” 

She was here as the fire died.

“You called-” Naza sits up and comes to the realization of what she has done, “oh no, oh no, no, no,” she tries to stand up, but she was still drunk from her drinking session, “Jack-”

“Shut up!” Jack screams and feels tears stream down his face as he fails to re-lit the fire. It’s Chase who always lights up the fire, “shut up.” 

He hears the noise of glass bottles clink against each other, and he wants to scream. Naza runs and pours a clear liquid, which proceeds to create a huge flame. Jack steps back, and Naza smiles, “is good, is good. Jack, I’m so sorry. I fell asleep and, and. Well, I’m sorry.” She tries, but Jack just stares at her with so much anger. 

“Fuck you. You could have killed him!”

They didn’t say anything else for the night. 

Chase didn’t wake up again. Neither of them could sleep that night. Jack worked in preparing the fireplace, and Naza drank her problems away.

The next day was a dilemma. Jack was running out of honey, his main source of substance, and Naza doesn’t look like she plans to move out of her corner anytime soon. Which means that Jack must stop working until he solves the food problem. And has to be done in a day since that is how much firewood he has. 

Going to the town and buying food seems like the obvious answer, but he risks being confronted by the townspeople if he goes without Naza. At best, it is inconvenient. At worst, they take him for questioning, and he is forced to spend the night out. It’s too risky. Hunting is out of the question, he is too loud, and his vision sucks. He could set traps, but it’s not guaranteed to work.

An unlikely solution pops into his head, he could try getting some food from that Brunner lady. She was a neighbor with family connections to Naza’s families. Maybe if he tells her that Naza is  _ too sick  _ to hunt, she might offer some food. It was unlikely to work, but it didn’t require Jack to waste a full day, unlike most other options. 

Jack tries to fix his hair and sets way to the path he saw the lady. He can collect firewood in the way and maybe some good pebbles. Now he wished he had been nicer to her. Or that he had paid attention to her name. 

The way was easy. The Bunner’s had an orange orchard and had created paths to their home -most likely where the fruit is processed. Bared trees extend from every direction, leaving but a sliver of space to walk. This place is more orchard than town, yet there was no firewood. 

The house was an intimidating mansion, competing with the forest of orange trees for space. 

Jack walked to the porch, and the door swung open.

The lady from before glares up at him, the warm smell of a meal escapes through the open door, and people behind her busy themselves as they eardrop. 

“Miss Brunner,” Jack does a short bow to show his respects, and the lady smirks at him.

“Mm, I don’t know your name,” She waits until Jack is about to open his mouth to add, “and I care not for it, Elf.”

“My name is of little importance,” Jack was too tired to be angry or offended, “I come to your home asking for help. I had found myself and the Merrick house in the most desperate of conditions.” 

Brunner tenses up. Naza was right; her tale and her house seem to make people uncomfortable. 

“It’s truly a tragedy, what happened,” Brunner turns her face and glares at the people behind her who hurry to leave. 

“Yes, and as if Naza has not suffered enough,” Jack wasn’t sure exactly what happened. He can deduce that there was a fire, and Naza’s brother died in it, but why would the town be tense about that, “she has fallen sick.”

“Sick? No,  _ Nazaret _ is a healthy young woman. What illnesses do you presume to know? As if you presume to know her after a week?” Brunner crosses her arms, correctly guessing that Jack was here for his own benefit, not Naza’s. 

“Nazaret has fallen for liquor. In her despair, she has dug a deeper hole, now she can’t hunt or cook. I’m not a hunter and can’t get any game, but I could cook -if there was any food.” 

Brunner has been looking at the floor, unable to meet Jack’s gaze.

“I see. Yes, I had heard that Naza turned to alcohol, but she was never a drinker. She liked cider before it fermented when it’s but juice I, I” Brunner’s voice trembled as if she was about to cry, “come inside. My kitchen is full, and the Brunners and Merricks had a long story.”

Jack steps inside and follows Brunner to a resting room where she instructs him to wait. The elf thinks if they give him bread, he can make it last, but he needs some protein. Asking for dried meat would be too much, which means that he would have to set some traps -he saw some hares around. 

Stressed and tired, Jack turns his attention to the paintings hanging on the walls. The Brunners had money. If anything, Jack was about to bet that the Brunners were the powerhouse of this town. 

“Elf?” A voice calls him.

“Miss Bruner?” Jack waits for a reasonable second and then follows the voice pass a corridor. The place smells like oranges. As it was the wood that holds this house and the blood of their descendants. 

“Elf!” Brunner comes to find him midway, “I don’t have all day,” she looks at the wall and then back at Jack, “I’ll be escorting you back.” 

“Oh, that is not necessary,” Jack clears his throat. 

“Then, are you planning to drag the food all the way back?” She crosses her arms and signals Jack to follow her through a side exit.

“No, no. Thank you for your generosity,” Jack didn’t consider that Brunner might give him too much food to carry, “Thank you so much-” Jack stops when he sees the two horses carrying sacks and sacks of food. Too much, no one gives away that much food at the beginning of winter -not without reason. 

“Yes,” Brunner confesses, “I’m not sure what you are thinking, but the answer is yes. This is unusual, and you don’t have to pretend it’s not.”

Jack tightens his mouth into a thin line. He should be cautious with what he says, “I can only be thankful for the food. It will save our lives.” 

“Naza doesn’t know you are here,” Brunner laughs humorlessly, “she would prefer to starve than eat anything the Brunner family sends. Every time I hear of her, she seems to be doing worse, but recently I had not heard of her at all. No one has seen her in days. She could die, and no one will know. Elf, this is a bribe. Take all this food, and in return, make sure Naza eats something. Just don’t let her die.” 

Jack looks at her, and he feels something terrible in his gut but agrees nonetheless.

They ride in silence as Jack tries to not piece things together. When people feel sorry, they go easy on you. They might allow Naza to misbehave and excuse her growing alcohol problem, but they become reckless when people feel guilty. He remembers what Naza said and how no one would see her at her house because all feel too guilty. 

“What did you do?” Jack asks when the horses stop. 

Brunner tenses again and helps unpack, “it’s more along the lines of what I didn’t do.” 

“Then,” Jack picks a bag and looks inside, that was fresh raw meat, “we are also gonna need some firewood -to cook the food.” 

Brunner turns, surprised by the elf’s audacity and his heartless request. 

“Fine. Tomorrow.” She mounts her horse and stares down at Jack, “if she dies this winter, I’ll hunt you down.” 

Jack waits until Brunner is gone before he brings all the food in. He should be scared by the threat, but he was too tired to be scared, plus, currently, there is a line of hunters behind him. 

Naza was still asleep. Jack cut potatoes, carrots, meat, and peppercorns and threw them into a pot with snow into the fire. Soon the smell of food coaxed Naza out of her corner. After days of drinking on an empty stomach, she didn’t ask where the food came from -she didn’t care anymore. 

Jack eats, waiting for questions that never came. 

After their tense meal, Naza returns to her corner, and Jack goes back to work. He will set the second fire tonight. 

The elf takes inventory of their rations and nods approvingly; if they ration carefully and supplement with some occasional game, they will be good for 4 to 6 weeks. Of course, that might not be good news depending on how long winter lasts. And they hadn’t completely gotten rid of their rat problem, which, if needed, could also be their food solution. 

“Is that smart?” Naza suddenly asks, and Jack is abruptly dragged out of his own mind.

“What?” 

“That,” Naza looks at the second fire as if she has forgotten that it was her idea.

“I’ll have more firewood by tomorrow,” Jack shakes of the guilt, “the Brunner family has kindly offered.” 

Naza doesn’t respond.

The fires burn all night, and it warms up every corner of the room. Naza lazily sips her drink, and Jack carefully moves some blankets from Chase’s bed to a place next to the fireplace. 

The elf sits next to the snake and plays with the black locks of hair. Jack sits there and waits with a patience he didn’t know he possessed. 

He waits until something goes wrong.

Naza senses that something is wrong. She sits up and walks to Jack. 

Maybe it was her mind playing tricks, or the many drinks she had -vodka has a way of sneaking onto her, or maybe it was the night. But no reason was enough to shake that bad feeling in her gut. 

“Jack,” Naza calls, and when the elf doesn’t answer, she kicks his foot. Nothing, a panic settles into her, “Hey, Jack, wake up! Can you hear me?” Naza kneels and harshly shakes Jack. She wastes no time in pressing her ear to his chest and then proceeding to bite the elf. Jack wakes up to the sharp pain in his chest.

He springs up to a sitting position and sees Naza over him.

“What the fuck?”

“You were passed out, I assume you would answer to pain -if you don’t, then you were out of my exper- of my known stuff. You know. I’m helping. I’m trying to help. Listen-”

“Are you drunk?” Jack glares at her.

“That's beside the point. You should go see a doctor Jack.” 

“You are drunk,” Jack glares at her, but she was right -he has been feeling worse this last week. 

“Okay, this can't happen,” Naza shakes her head, “someone-” someone has to do something. That someone has been Jack, but Jack was in no place to do anything right now, physically, mentally, or emotionally. Chase is asleep, which left only one person out of three. 

The head of the household.

Naza straightens her back the best she can, “I declare this a state of emergency!” 

Decided to take charge, and she threw the elf over her shoulder. Jack kicks and punches and loudly objects, but Naza doesn’t listen. 

Naza steps out of the tent, and Jack shivers against the cold wind. It was dark and late. The only ones out were them and the crescent moon. 

Jack is carefully dropped on the ground, and he pulls his knife out. Naza gives it a single glance, but it doesn’t look as if Jack is planning to attack her. 

“You are not running, are you?” 

Jack shakes his head and then follows her into the night. 

The elf hangs his head low, not caring where they are going, and sighs, “how did you know I’m sick?”

“Mm,” Naza turns to look at Jack and then back ahead, “I don’t, I just felt something was wrong. Lots of people here have special talents, gifts from the moon.” 

Jack nods; that makes sense. He turns to look at the crescent moon.

“What did she give you?” 

Naza doesn’t respond and speeds up her pace when they finally enter the town, “put your knife away.” 

Jack obeys and tucks the knife inside his sleeve, where he could remain touching it. He feels a tightening feeling in his chest, and he knows that it’s not only the sadness he feels right now. Naza is right, and he should see a doctor sooner than later. 

The flicker of candlelight against a window caught his attention. People are noticing them. Wordlessly they both rush to go where they must. Neither of them wants to deal with an audience. 

Naza finds the house they had been looking for and bangs the door with enough strength to make the snow from the roof fall in small chunks. 

“Sh, do you want the whole town to know we are here!” Jack hisses, but this doesn’t stop Naza.

“They already know.”

Town-gossip, Jack almost forgot, nothing faster in this world than town-gossip.

Doors from onlookers’ houses start opening. Naza puts her weight against the door and pushes in. The hinges of the door came off clean, and Jack let out a low whistle. 

They enter unannounced and carefully lean the door ‘close.’

“Naza! What is this?” An old man walks downstairs with a cane in his hand. A younger man follows not far behind. 

“Doc, sorry. Sorry, I know it is late and sorry about your door. But I think it is an emergency-”

The man looks at her with pity in his eyes.

“Naza, are you drunk?” the younger man puts a hand over his nose to shield himself from the smell. It was at that moment that Jack realized something. They must reek. They had been sweating and sleeping in the same clothes for almost two weeks, and Naza is covered in alcohol and  _ other _ fluids. 

“Nezi!” The old man scolds him, and after a single glare, Nezi lowers his hand.

“No,” Naza lies, embarrassed of what she has become.

“Oh my girl,” the old doctor takes her hand and guides them to a room, an office of sorts, “tell me, what is the emergency?”

“Jack, he um, he was asleep, but he wasn’t waking up. And his color is so pale-” 

“He is an albino,” Nezi cuts in while lighting candles and preparing a bed with new bedsheets.

Naza’s mouth was shut after that, her hands trembling, and her eyes sting with shame. She is the head of the house now.

“I have been suffering from chest pains for a few days, no weeks. Not longer than a few weeks,” Jack fills in, “but these last few days have been worse than ever. Earlier tonight, Naza tried to wake me up, but I didn’t wake up until she bit me.” 

“Um, sit there. Nezi prepares your instruments.” 

Nezi looks like he wants to object, but he knows better than to and does as told.

The old man gently asks Naza questions and pats her head as she quietly cries. 

Nezi, on the other hand, brings a piece of paper with a questionnaire different yet very similar to the one Jack is used to. It was almost fun seeing the young doctor's expression go from skeptical to profoundly worried as Jack answers his symptoms and previews medical conditions. 

_ Yeah,  _ Jack tells himself,  _ it isn’t good.  _

Soon, both doctors redirect all their attention to Jack. Nezi takes blood from Jack and goes to a bench to apply elixirs to it. The old man, Moldreth, kneels in front of Jack and conjures a perfectly round ball of a sticky yellow light.

“That is new,” Jack lifts an eyebrow, and the old man laughs.

“It isn’t new but unusual. A seeing spell.”

“A seeing spell, what for?” Jack frowns.

“To see, of course,” the man carefully places the ball over Jack’s chest, and it sinks under his clothes, making them disappear. Whatever the ball touches become invisible, creating a window into the body.

“Woah,” Jack blinks as he sees the inner workings of his own chest until it stops at his bastard heart. The elf tilts his head in confusion. He didn’t know how a heart was supposed to look, but his looks normal.  __

“Ah, I see it there,” The old man’s face seems neutral, as what he was seeing wasn’t serious, and it made Jack relax. 

“A little hole in my heart,” Jack tries to find it himself. It wasn’t until the doctor pointed at it when Jack saw it. 

“There, boy, between the left and right atria.”

“It’s so small,” Nezi leans, curious.

“Oh, I have never seen one in real life,” Naza also walks closer, and the doctor turns to shoos them away.

“You two are gathering too close to the patient; he isn’t a class presentation-”

“I don’t mind,” Jack was surprised by his honesty, he didn’t mind, he was tired, and this was a welcome change of pace, “I had never seen anyone um happy to see my heart. Or seen my heart.”

Naza and Nezi hurry to explain themselves but are quickly shut down by the senior doctor. 

“If you are to stay and watch, you better be respectful -or I’ll send you to clean showers!” 

Naza and Nezi look at each other. They were both invited. They chose not to risk this learning opportunity by fighting, and both lean closer.

“Now,” the doctor adjusted the ball, so they could see the whole heart, “what is this heart defect called?” 

“Ebstein's anomaly, the tricuspid valve is narrower, which increases the blood pressure of the right atrium and right ventricle. The Ebs-”

“I asked for the name Doctor Neziraj, not a lecture.”

“Sorry,” Nezi blushes and cowards back. Naza sneers at his embarrassment.

“Now, Nazaret, what defeat tends to accompany Ebstein's anomaly?”

“Um? Ah. Yeah, so an anomaly in the right atrium or the right ventricle.” 

“What a long name,” the old man sighs and turns to Nezi, “Doctor Neziraj, name?”

“The atrial septal defect, an incomplete closure between the left and right atria chamber,” Nezi smirks at Naza, “which results in a hole-”

“Yes, yes, I also read the book,” the old man shakes his head and turns to smile at Jack, “the young ones never know when to stop.”

Jack smiles back, “it doesn’t sound that bad.” 

“It’s not; you had a mild case and a small hole which could still repair on its own. If I knew you were a mild person, I would say that non-invasive treatment is best.”

“Really? Mild?” Jack looks down, trying to see his heart.

“Is he a good candidate for surgery?” Nezi straightens his back. He has never even had the opportunity to stand through the procedure. This could be quite a learning opportunity.

“Surgery?” Jack’s mouth falls open, and his heart accelerates, “in my heart? I would die!” 

“No, Dr. Moldreth has performed many successful heart surgeries. He perfected a method that will correct heart malformation-”

“Dr. Neziraj!” The old man shouts and glares at the young doctor before turning to Jack.

“Is it true? You can fix my heart?” Jack suffered so much because of his condition. He lives in fear that the moon will break his weak heart. He tried looking for a way to fix his heart or his magic, but after years of nothing, tonight, he is offered hope.

“The heart is a very delicate organ, terribly precocious machinery which we had but one.”

“But can you fix it?” Jack leans in closer, feeling tears of frustration fall from his eyes, “can you fix me?”

“Boy, that’s not what brought you here,” Moldhred keeps his neutral face, “I can’t tell you one way or another until I finish my assessment, and even then, I can’t assure you a thing.” 

“But could you? Would you operate on me?” 

“It’s not a hard surgery!” Nezi cuts in, urging his senior to take the case, “I read your history. I know you can do it! But if you think it is too risky, we can recommend him to someone in the capital,” Nezi felt excited, “I’ll escort him to the capital.”

“Shut up!” Naza glares at him. Nezi turns to look at her as he wants to say something, something that has been left unsaid for a year, but he doesn’t.

“I can’t do magic,” Jack explains, but the old man doesn’t look at him. He is completely concentrated in the window, looking at Jack’s heart pump, “I can’t do much without knowing my heart may give up on my next adventure. I live like that for so long that I stop caring.”

“Have you had any strong stress in the past month?” 

Jack smirks, so many stressors, “Recently, I want to live more,” Jack thought of Chase, “I want to be better. That means caring for myself. Maybe this is how. So, can you do the surgery?”

Doctor Moldhred’s perfect poker face melts into an expression Jack has only seen once. With a look of pity and complete resignation, Jack remembers that he was diagnosed like a fever dream.

“What is wrong?” Naza knew all too well what comes next. She wanted to leave but she couldn’t, she is the head of the house.

“Jack,” the doctor schools his expression and stands up to talk to Jack, “recently, in the past month or less, your heart suffered a great deal of stress. The muscle, like a piece of clothing, has been ripped, and blood is leaking through. The symptoms you are feeling are due to low blood pressure. Are you listening?” 

“Ah?” Jack couldn’t move, “yes,” he said, but he wasn’t listening at all. Every word sounded unfamiliar.

“Increase palpitations. Compensation. Risk of severe. Stress. Faint. Pain, Disqualification for surgery candidacy,” Jack’s eyes found Nezi, who was trying not to cry. Today was a terrible learning experience, “medication, doses, and times. Dates and months, maybe a few years. We are very sorry.” 

Jack sat there for a very long time, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Naza offered to pay for the consultation and medication, but she didn’t have any money. It was Nezi who paid at the end. He felt terribly guilty.

A paper bag sat on Jack’s lap, and he supposed it’s time to leave now. Go back to do whatever he was doing before.

“If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me.”

“Let's start with one,” as if Jack could ever just give up so easily, “where is the capital?” 

Naza has never seen a man be given death date and immediately ready a plan of attack. People take a moment to think, settle into denial, and find a place to blame where there is no place for blame. Not Jack. Jack told them he has precious time, and he won’t waste it by crying in place. He will cry and do something. He can multitask. 

Naza was sent away. Jack assured her that he was okay and that this isn’t the first time he has been told he will die -chances are it won’t be the last either. He told her that he has questions and that she should go ahead to avoid the townspeople.

Naza should have stayed, Jack was in a fragile state, and she is the head of the house. But she was too scared to face anyone.

  
  


Naza runs past the houses before they could call her. 

She sneaks into her own territory in case someone has come looking for her.

She rushes inside the ashes of her old home and into the new one Jack built. 

In the infernal heat of the fire was nearly too much to Naza. She doesn’t want to think of fire, for she still feels the flames licking her skin. 

The yeti puts a hand over her chest, trying to calm her heart as a rush of emotions tears her apart. 

A new emotion overtakes her. Someone is watching her.

Naza looks to find the naga propping himself up against the stone wall. 

Chase woke up alone in this tiny odd camp, dragged himself next to the best source of heat, and now glared at the intruder ready to fight her.

Chase tries to intimidate her with his size, but the sickly pale skin and trembling shape didn’t look intimidating. 

Yet Naza couldn’t be more amazed. 

She steps closer, and Chase uses the wall to stand taller.

“You were frozen until a few days ago. The water in your body expanded, bursting inside of you -right now, you are bleeding internally. You shouldn’t be able to move,”  _ how could he move? How could Jack see the dead of winter and decide to start building? How did a man wake up in an unknown place and ready himself to fight?  _

_ How could they be so resilient? _

“ **Jack** ,” Chase groaned, and Naza was partially snapped out of thoughts.

“He is at the doctor’s, um, he should be back soon,” Naza felt as everything was moving miles by the minute, and she was frozen in place. 

_ Did these men didn’t fear death? _ Naza shakes her head; if that was the case, they wouldn’t be trying so hard to stay alive.

“ **Wh-** ” Chase tries again, but it seems too much for him, and he falls forward; he catches himself, but his arms are not strong enough to hold his weight, and he collapses.

“Careful-” Naza moves to help him, but Chase hisses at her.

“ **Wher-** ” The naga feels his throat shut, and he struggles for air.

Naza stares at the pitiful display. It doesn't matter how determined Chase is to survive. He can’t simply will his limitations away.

“Stop moving!” Naza kneels, and against Chase’s wishes, she helps him prop himself up by putting old furs under him and helps him open his airway, “I’m Naza, Nazaret Mirrick, second daughter of the Merrick house and head of this house-” the yeti closes her eyes, this is the first time she says it aloud, “I’m the head of this house, and I’m responsible for you and Jack until you leave my property.”

Chase relaxes when he hears Jack’s name, then he looks around the dirty ruins that are his current shelter. The naga tries to piece together what sort of situation they are in, but when unable to figure out what happened after he fell asleep, he turns to Naza.

The woman stands up and looks for medicine she can use on Chase. She hoped Jack would deal with explanations, but she doubts that the elf will be in a mindset for it when he gets back. 

“After you fell asleep, Jack came to my village for help. I was the only one to offer you two shelter -my village doesn’t accept outsiders. It isn’t much, so Jack has been working on building something better,” Naza returns with a few jars and clean bandages. She moves to start treating Chase, but the naga glares at her -warning her to not touch him.

“What?” Naza pauses while opening a jar. Chase can’t answer, and he doesn’t even attempt to communicate. 

“I hope you are not planning on waiting for Jack to care for you. He is exhausted from work, and I believe his health is starting to suffer.” 

Chase considers her words.

“You can trust me,” Naza tries, but she can see those words had a negative effect on Chase.

“You want to live, don’t you?” Naa changes her approach, “then you need to get treated right away. I already told you, you are bleeding internally -let me help, I just want to help.”

Chase didn't like it or trust her. That much was obvious. Naza was a stranger offering help for no reason or no price; there isn’t anything more suspicious to the naga. But what were his options? Resigned and cornered, Chase gives her the smallest of nods. 

“I'm gonna give you something to help with inflammation. It will also soothe your throat,” Naza dips a clean bandage into a jar and brings it up to Chase’s lips.

The naga grinds his teeth and glares at her.

“You just wake up. You don’t have control of yourself yet; if you try to drink it from the jar, you could choke,” Naza explains and sighs, “it’s also an analgesic. It will let me treat your wounds.”

Chase refuses to open his mouth.

“Please think of Jack,” Naza tries, but this time Chase’s perfect poker face remains, “I don’t have time for this!” 

The woman roughly grabs Chase’s jaw, she presses in the lower and higher mandible connection and forces Chase to open his mouth -like to a dog refusing to take its medicine. Unceremoniously, Naza shoves the wet rag into Chase’s mouth. The naga angrily tries to bite her fingers, but he doesn’t have the strength to fight her. 

“Now suck on it or choke!” Naza presses the rag to squeeze the liquid out. Chase coughs as he struggles to swallow.

The liquid was thick and heavy, it coated the snake’s throat with a cold and oddly painful sensation, but it did stop the dull roughness Chase felt before. 

“There, there,” Naza carefully pulls her fingers out, and Chase whips his head out of her hold, “I want to say the worst is past, but that was the easy part. For the next part, I'm gonna need you to stay very still.” 

Chase glared at her but stood still. 

Without further objections, Naza hurries to work. 

She used a magical ointment that will burn heat into his muscles. 

The biggest problem was the tail. While Chase’s human haft was covered in clearly visible bruises. On the contrary, the tail scales were all the same color, and it was hard to tell which ones needed treatment. Also, the tail was in the worst condition since it was in contact with the outside. Naza caresses the side of the tail until she finds a bump. 

“I’m pulling my knife out now,” Naza knows Chase can’t see her from this angle, and the snake stays very still. The dropped-out medical student takes a few deep breaths and finds a place between the scales to quickly dip her knife in and out. The small cut bursts out with a ridiculous amount of blood. Chase twists in pain.

“I gotta do this to help the inflammation go down,” Naza explains, and this is enough to calm Chase. 

The man didn’t move or whine after that. Naza couldn’t stop thinking what it must feel being him right now, confused, immovable, and bleeding out. 

A new wave of emotions goes through her like a knife goes through flesh, and she begins to weep. The room fills with her cries as she continues her work. 

Finally, she stopped cutting and started applying ointment and bandaging every wound she found. 

Again she feels an intense gaze on her. 

Naza looks up to see her reflection into those cold and angry golden eyes.

“I’m done,” she moves to pick up a blanket she hung over the fireplace. The wool was hot, nearly burning, “that’s the best I can do,” Naza declares as she drapes the hot blanket over Chase. 

Naza noticed that Chase’s eyes were glassy and stared intensely at a corner of the tent. She lays down and looks for whatever Chase is looking at. It was a small opening, an exit.

“You won’t make it out there,” Naza states without looking away from the small opening.

“It-” Chase clears his throat. It feels as if he has been swallowing sand in his sleep. He settles for shrinking his sentences, “where is Jack?” Chase glares, but Naza is completely entranced by the tiny opening.

“He should be back any minute now,” Naza could hear Chase’s claws scratching the rock floor, but she knew the man didn’t have the energy to attack her, “Don’t bother.” 

Chase stares at the woman and lets his body give up. His body feels so heavy and weak. He thought that eating her might help him heal, but he didn’t have an appetite, and she looks so sad lying on the floor.

“Is he okay?” Chase pushes himself to ask. It hurt to talk but if he needs to know something is if Jack was alive and well. If the elf doesn’t return and leaves him forever, it will be fine as long as he is okay -Chase will understand. 

“I don’t know,” Naza answers, and Chase once again felt the urge to attack her. But no hostility or malice was coming from Naza. 

The naga turns his attention to fix himself into a more comfortable position. He noticed the loose scales between his dirty bedding and can only stare, completely powerless. Every time he thinks there is nothing left for him to lose, he discovers he was wrong. Chase thinks of Jack. 

The naga pushes the elf out of his mind. He should wish to never see Jack again. Let him live a long and safe life, even if it doesn’t suit him. There isn’t a thing Chase can offer him any more. He has lost his power, physical strength, money, title, perception of himself, pride, and dignity, and now he lost three scales. At this point, he could freeze over again, and no difference would it make.

Chase felt a pair of eyes looking at him.

The snake opens his eyes to find Naza sitting up and staring at him, almost lovingly.

“There is nothing left to lose,” Naza spoke as if telling a prophecy, “I deeper hole doesn’t exist. But you and Jack don’t belong here. I promise I will do everything I can to allow you to leave this cursed place.” 

There was something honest in her desperation, something intoxicating in her raw wretched face. 

“Akin?” Chase suppresses a chuckle.

“Yes, we all are at this point, but I know-” Naza sits up, and as soon as she does, her enthusiasm is gone, “let me help, just let me help.” 

Chase didn’t waste his precious energy talking to her, and awkward in their silence, Naza crawls to her corner and opens a new bottle. 

Chase counts their resources. It was hard to evaluate their circumstances when everything was so dirty, empty bottles were kept next to full ones, dirty clothes piled up, muddy rocks were stuck up in the middle of the room, ash and charcoal were smeared all over the floor, and the place stinks -and Chase’s smell sense was not yet back, so he was  _ tasting _ the smell. Unsatisfied, hurt, and exhausted but unwilling to go back to sleep, Chase reached for a rock and tried carving a pattern. It would be a way to stretch his fingers. 

The naga slowly adds another rock into a new pile, clean and decorated, while pretending he wasn’t waiting for the elf.

The night was nearly over when Jack walked slowly into the tent. He nearly trips over Naza. A glass bottle rolls away from her, and Jack goes to pick it up. 

It was warm inside. It was so much warmer than outside that Jack felt hot. Moreso, the heat melted all the smells together into a grotesque palatable fog. 

Jack’s world stops for a second time that night when he sees Chase Young waiting for him.

The elf doesn’t squeal with glee, scream, or even smile as he thought he would during this moment. He just runs to the naga. Chase uses the strength he didn’t know he had to hold Jack as the elf fell apart, safe in their embrace. Jack was tired from crying, but a new wave of emotions pulled more tears out of him. Chase didn’t know what was happening. He simply hugged Jack until the morning came. 

The sunrise doesn’t make the day any warmer, but the fire inside the tent kept their occupants warm. Still, no one had a good night of sleep.

Jack didn’t want to talk about it, Chase didn’t have the energy to press the issue, and Naza was an outsider who already felt she was intruding into a couple’s problems. 

Jack did what he wanted to do, he went to the workshop. Jack wasn’t sure what he would make, but he needed to make something. 

Chase and Naza were left alone with no instructions. 

Naza was satisfied with spending the day drinking, but Chase wasn’t. He might be forced to live in ruins because of circumstances out of his control, but he won't be lying idle in a dirty tiny cave. 

The snake uses their drinking water to wash the floor near him, but he is interrupted by Naza.

“Stop that,” Naza walks to take the rag out of his hands, “stay away from that. You could catch an infection!” 

Chase lifts an eyebrow and then turns to his bedding.

“Mm, yeah, I should wash that.”

Naza takes the deep pot and walks out to get some snow to boil. In that time, Chase piles every blanket, clothes, furs, or loose fabrics next to a washing bowl. 

Naza walks in to find a dirty clothes pile her size, “you don’t actually expect me to wash all this.”

“You said,” Chase clears his throat, “you want to help.” 

Naza gawks at Chase, “as in treating your wounds!” 

Chase locks eyes with her, then smiles and says something he doesn’t usually say, “thank you.”

That was the end of the argument but the beginning of their work. Chase found soap at the bottom of the medicine bag and agathosma betulina leaves, an antiseptic -it wasn’t aloe vera, but it will work. He boiled some leaves and used them to disinfect his sleeping area. He cleaned the walls and practiced lifting himself higher with support against Naza’s wishes. They moved the pot metal rod from under the fire to next to it so they could hang the clothes to dry. Empty bottles were filled with ash and pebbles too small to be used for construction, lined up to define the room’s boundaries, and keep the tent pinned down. Once Naza finished with the laundry, Chase sent her to collect firewood after a full day of nonstop hand washing.

“It takes a day to collect firewood. I’ll go tomorrow,” Naza hangs the last blanket while Chase lays clean furs on the heated stone.

“Nothing left from the fire?” Chase hoped his sentences still made sense as Naza didn’t answer back.

Naza understood what Chase was asking, “you are asking me that I scavenger whatever is left for my burnt home so we can burn it. Is this what you ask of me?”

“Again,” Chase, who has never been emotionally attached to family or a childhood home, didn’t understand the outrageousness of his request, but he was aware that what he was asking is upsetting, “what use are they out?” 

Naza glares at Chase for what felt like an eternity, but she couldn’t argue. What use is keeping the ruins of her home like it was art in a museum? She didn’t have the energy to look deeper than the surface, so the yeti hangs her head and walks out to get firewood. 

Chase boils more water, and he prepares a vegetable soup seasoned with dried jerky, herbs, and damp salt. While the soup boils, he lines their resources into categories, cuts items into rations, sets clean clothes near Jack's fire, and uses the washing bowl to clean himself. 

Naza walks in carrying half a day worth of firewood in each arm -it was wet, and it would take up to three days to dry next to the fire, but it will be a time-saver in the long run. Then she walks out empty-handed with a heavy heart.

Chase fixes the piles into neat piles. Naza drops another trip worth on the floor, hitting a pile and undoing Chase’s hard work. The naga looks at the mess before wordlessly going to fix it. Perhaps he deserves that.

“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a neat freak,” Naza hisses and kicks another piled. 

Chase looks at the mess, unimpressed by her behavior, “it’s about control.”

“Control?” Naza speaks the word as it tastes bad, “do making piles makes you feel in control?” she walks back to her corner before Chase could answer.

Chase wasn’t planning to answer. However, he recognizes that he should be careful. The snake feels tired from his day of work, and they only did house chores, meaning that there could be a moment in which he will actually need Naza’s help, so it’s not a good idea to antagonize her. 

Chase considers what to do and settles for coughing loudly. He wasn’t sure if it would work, but Naza was so desperate to help, the Yeti swung up and rushed to help Chase. She hits his back, and after Chase stops coughing, she searches for a medicine jar.

Naza unscrews the lid and dips a rag into it. 

Chase looks at the rag.

“I wash it today, and it will help your throat.”

Chase reaches for the jar, but Naza moves it out of the way.

“Do you really want to choke or spill this? It’s the only one we have.”

Defeated, Chase reaches for the rag instead. He would not admit it, but Naza was right, his mouth is still numb, and he had been biting himself all day. Chase sucks from the rag and its immediate relief. 

“There, it wasn’t that bad,” Naza smiles, an actual smile which quickly disappears. The woman stands up, ready to leave again, but Chase pulls her back down.

“What?” Naza sighs, worried that there are more chores, which there is.

Chase moves to pour the boiling water into the clean washing bowl. Naza stares at the water and sighs, “I thought I washed everything.”

Chase points at her. It took her an embarrassingly long time for Naza to understand that Chase was telling her to wash.

“Stars and stars! You are a shameless asshole,” Naza hurries to leave, but Chase won’t let go of her arm. It was obvious that he doesn’t plan to give up easily. The yeti considers her options before agreeing. 

“Turn around first,” Naza askes, Chase lets go of her arm, but he doesn’t seem convinced, “I’m not running away, just turn around.”

The naga nods and turns to face a wall. 

He made sure to stay very still and quiet as Naza disrobes. 

“...I supposed I should thank you, it has been a while,” Naza considers her words. It sounds like she doesn’t like to shower, “with this cold, it’s hard to choose to wash.”

“You are a Yeti,” Chase won’t let her lie slide.

“And you are a real pain in the ass!” Naza murmurs in total humiliation.

Chase chuckles at her anger. 

“Is it bad?” Chase asks after a minute. Naza stops and looks at the burn scars all over her body.

“How did you know?”

“You are too covered, and there was a fire here.” 

“That makes sense,” Naza sighs and continues washing herself, “it’s not that bad. The doctor says that if I get treated soon, I could still make most of them fade. It’s not like a limb or my life.”

“You want them,” Chase states, so sure that makes Naza doubt herself.

“How did you- Why would you say that?” Naza moves to her hair, but it’s too tangled, and she becomes frustrated. 

“Mm, would you really help?” Chase suddenly asks.

“What? Why are you asking this now?”

“Answer me, would you help us no matter what?” Chase presses.

“Yes! Now you answer me!” Naza screams in frustration.

“That’s how I know. I know you for less than a day, and I can tell you are on a path of self-destruction. But you don’t like that story, so you need to give yourself a noble cause. I don’t mind since it is convenient to me, but I do feel for you,” Chase felt out of air. Talking took so much out of him.

Naza doesn’t say anything else. She finishes her shower, dress in new clothes, and tries to leave. But Chase talks again.

“Serve yourself a bowl of soup.”

Naza did as told and returned to her corner for the rest of the night. The food was good, the yeti found buried emotion resurfacing. 

It was well into the middle of the night when Jack returned. He looked worse than the night before, and he carried a small leather pouch. The elf walks in, and then he almost walks out. He cautiously steps back inside like he was entering someone else’s house.

“Wow,” he whispers as he looks at the clean and organizes room, “By the light of Orion, how the fuck is this like this?” 

“What? You don’t like it?” Chase’s voice was a little horse and just a decibel over a whisper, but it’s fragile state somehow made him sound even more mischievous. 

“How?” Jack walks around the room cause now there was enough space to walk, and it smells like fire and tea leaves, the walls look nice clean, and their items had been rationed, and he felt as if there was one less crisis he has to deal with, “you are magic.” 

“I wish,” Chase smiles, proud of whatever little comfort he could offer Jack, “but not even my strength is back. Hopefully, soon.”

“No, you,” Jack turns and puts his hands on Chase’s, “ you , this was you. Thank you.” 

There was so much pack in that little ‘thank you,’ neither of them knew what to do next. 

Jack stares into Chase's perfect golden eyes, and Chase scrunches his nose. 

“I just clean, Jack,” Chase gives Jack the most judgemental look he can manage, and the elf lets out a dry laugh.

“I would love to wash myself,” Jack sighs, and his eyes light up when he sees Chase move to pick up one of the pots from the fire, “Is there food in the other one?” 

“It was soup, but it looks more like stew now,” Chase watches Jack’s body relax just from looking at the water being poured in the bowl, “careful, is hot.”

“I want to climb into that bowl,” Jack laughs as he undresses.

Chase hands him a small cube of soap and a clean rag, “again, I just clean.” 

Jack takes his time with his shower. He enjoys the warm water sliding down his tired body, the satisfaction of seeing dirt being wipe off, the smell of soap, how the tip of his ears flush after nearly freezing in the winter night, Chase’s gentle fingers massaging his scalp, the heat from the fire right next to him, and the way the naga stills glances at his body as it was something precious. 

Chase uses a cup to scoop water from the pot and washes the soap off Jack’s hair. The elf’s whole body becomes a wet noodle, and he leans against Chase, completely lax. The naga lets out a low hearty laugh.

“Are you not dressing?” Chase points with his chin to the clean clothes waiting at the corner next to the fireplace. Jack jumps and crawls on his knees to get them. He presses them against his face and takes a deep breath.

“Clean clothes,” Jack starts dressing.

“Clean bed,” Chase moves so Jack can see, and the elf takes his clothes and moves to the bed.

“Clean bed, clean me!” Jack continues dressing and watches Chase serve him a bowl of stew. 

“Here,” Chase waits until Jack is completely dressed before hanging the bowl.

“Oh, thank you!” Jack’s face was ecstatic of eating food again, “I’m starving.”

“This is nothing,” Chase sighs and takes his place next to Jack. 

“This is amazing!” Jack insists, “you have no idea what,” Jack felt tears building up again, “I think last night might have been the worst night of my life,” he felt a clawed finger carefully wiping a tear away and Jack smiles to his food, “or one of my top five at least.”

Chase chuckles at Jack’s humor.

“Top five?” 

“Yes, nothing has been able to outperform that time Perlen found me making out with his boyfriend at Nova camp.”

Chase lays on his back and turns to Jack, “isn’t Perlen blind?”

“Yeah, I have to describe what was happening. It’s still the most awkward position I have ever been,” Jack pauses, “I was an awful friend!” 

Chase burst into laughter. It was loud and carefree until he started holding his stomach with one hand, “that hurt. That hurts,” the naga chuckles die down, and he looks up to Jack, hoping to hear another story.

Jack just looks at him. Everything could suck, the world could be on fire or frozen, and Chase will make it better. Not just because he is beautiful, smart, and funny, but because Chase cares for Jack and will work to make him feel better. 

“I had been thinking all day how can I - but you, You make things better, so thank you for making this moment so much more bearable,” Jack wasn’t usually this honest, but maybe it was being forced to confront his mortality or maybe was because he missed Chase. 

“I should be the one thanking you, Jack,” Chase smiles, takes Jack’s empty bowl and sliders to the pot to serve him a second helping, “I don’t understand why you didn’t leave me, but thank you. I don’t understand why you would build a shelter for me or why you stay,” every logical thought in Chase’s head tells him that Jack should leave him but the elf doesn’t, “thank you.”

“That’s cause you have the emotional intelligence of a snake,” Jack takes the bowl and immediately starts eating; food fills his stomach. His body rewards Jack with a wave of tranquility, “you are my friend,” Jack considers his words very carefully, “and I love you.”

Chase’s face turned from happy to utterly confused and downright scared. 

Jack tries not to laugh.

“That’s mm, nice. My throat hurts, I can’t speak,” Chase felt his whole face heat up, and Jack could not hold in his laughter any longer. 

“Has no one ever told you that?” Jack was grinning from ear to ear. He felt his own face blush and heard his own laugh ring clear and happy. 

“Only my parents, but I didn't believe them -they were too invested,” Chase couldn’t look at Jack, “I’m having an allergic reaction!” Chase tries to rub his goosebumps out of his skin.

“For Cepheus and Cassiopeia, come to bed,” Jack pats the spot next to him, and Chase actually looked around the room before joining Jack. 

“My stomach hurts. Why would you say that?” Chase thought he had been embarrassed, but he would welcome a hole to jump in right now. 

Jack laughs. He leaves to put his bowl away and wash his mouth and face. 

“I’m not sure,” Jack was embarrassed too, but it was much easier with Chase blowing it out of proportion, “I haven’t said that to many people, and I just think you should be on that list.”

He makes his way into bed, and Chase curls his tail around them as both cover themselves with blankets.

“I just don’t know what to do with all that responsibility,” Chase sighs, still trying to calm down his heart. 

“There is no rush,” Jack laughs, “I didn’t expect you to say it back.”

“I don’t know if I can love,” Chase frowns; he has never tried, “but I’ll try for you.”

“Chase,” Jack moved closer, the fire warmed the stones in the walls and floor, and the room felt a nice oven. It felt as if that moment could last forever.

“Yes?” Chase looks at the elf.

“I’m scared.”

Chase looks into those perfect ruby eyes. He searches for Jack’s hand and gives it a little squeeze. 

“I wish I knew how to help,” but Chase knew it wouldn’t be simple. 

Jack presses his forehead against Chase’s chest and falls asleep. It was easy, the room was warm, and Jack felt safe.

The next morning, everyone woke up rested and calmer than the night before. 

Breakfast was ginger orange tea and a bread slide, except for Chase, who doesn’t have his appetite back. 

Chase and Naza sat and listened carefully as Jack explained in gore detail everything the doctor said. Dr. Moldreth didn’t believe anyone in the capital would be of any help. He still sent Jack’s case out. 

They sat in a charged silence; no one knew what to say. Chase was a great magician, but he didn’t know any healing magic. Naza was once a gifted medical student, but this was far out of her expertise. Jack wasn't sure why he told them anymore.

“I should go,” Jack clears his throat, and Naza stands up.

“I’ll go hunting today. You should stay and rest,” she rushes out with her lance and a not very well hidden bottle.

Jack watches her leave in a mid-standing position. He sighs and sits backs down, “I guess she isn’t bringing any game today either.” 

“Are you doing to settle down?” Chase abruptly asks. It’s what the doctor recommended to slow down, return, and maintain a healthy weight, and find a specialist preferably near the sea; it could multiply his one-year expectancy to decades easily. 

“I don’t know, I don’t want to,” Jack crosses his arms, and Chase frowns.

“Alternative being death,” the snake wraps around Jack, and the elf leans on Chase.

“Alternative being living a boring life and then death. Neither is a prime option,” Jack pouts. 

It was too much to solve today.

“You have to put on some weight,” Chase chooses the easiest point of attack.

“Easy to do during winter and with no hunters,” Jack didn’t want to think about it any longer.

“Is Naza that bad?” 

“Oh no, she is a great hunter, every time she goes out she returns with enough meat for a week -if she doesn’t drink. I don’t know why she goes out in the cold when she drinks here anyways.”

“It might be too hot for her here. She is a yeti.”

“Oh, that’s what she is,” Jack looks at the piles of damp firewood. At least that was one less thing to worry about, “I can’t believe she scavenged through what is left of her house.” 

“I asked her to.”

Jack blinks, processing that information, and then he pushes himself away from Chase, “you asked her to?!” 

The naga tilts his head in confusion, “I’m surprised you didn’t think about it yourself.”

“You are a heartless fucker, and sometimes I forget,” Jack shakes his head, “don’t get her mad at us. She is what is keeping us alive.”

“I have been nice to her. I gave her food and forced her to shower. We even had a small conversation about her emotional state -or any state. That woman is a wreck.” 

“You insist you don’t know a thing about emotions, but please don’t say that to her and have some compassion,” they really couldn’t afford to be thrown out of this house too, “she lost everything. I mean, can you not relate?”

“No,” Chase answers immediately, “I really can’t. I don’t understand why she is so broken up about her home. When my palace crumbled to dust, I left that same day. Now her home has been reduced to splinters-”

“Chase!”

“-and she wants to still sleep here.”

“Didn’t your throat hurt?” 

“That medicine does wonders, and it’s nice to talk with you.” 

Jack covers his mouth so Chase would not take his smile as encouragement.

“I should go to the workshop,” the elf sighs. He doesn't know what he will do, but can’t just sit here.

“Naza left so you and I can talk. Let’s talk.” 

“About what?” Jack feels uncomfortable, “are you gonna ask me to stay behind again?”

“Well, I’m not leaving anything soon, so no,” Chase also felt an odd tension between them, “but I still want to talk. I don’t understand why you follow me-”

“Again, with this! I already told you!”

“I’m not satisfied with your answer. Now, more than ever,” Chas bites his lower lip, “every interaction is a transaction. Your actions should be proportionally rewarded. I don’t see what you are getting out of this.”

Jack frowns. He tries to put it into words, “your company? Emotional growth? The experience?”

Chase moves to its inventory. He picks a plain sack and a piece of graphite. He returns near Jack, lays the fabric on the floor, and starts drawing on it.

Jack watches curiously until he can make the shape. It is a map.

“We have been traveling west this whole time,” Chase points to the desert and then marks the path they had been taking.

“SO, there was a plan?” 

“Mm, I would call it a direction more than a plan. I memorized the Heylin territories, and I was hoping that by taking this route, I’ll be able to track Wuya -I believe she is still alive. We took some unexpected turns, and there are hunters after me. But my initial goal has not changed. I still want to meet Wuya and kill her with my bare hands, or, in case she is actually dead, destroy her legacy.” 

“Do you know where she is?” Jack feels betrayed somehow. He knew that Chase knew how to make maps, but he didn’t think the man would keep this information for himself.

“I’m not certain, but the last I knew, she was trying to take over here. Chase presses at a faraway beach. Jack holds his own chin. Judging by how close that beatch was to the neighboring continent, it would be half a year to a year of traveling, and Jack doesn’t have that sort of time right now. 

“That’s quite a walk for a thousand years old information,” he could see what Chase was saying now. Choosing to follow Chase was a longer commitment than previously considered. Of course, time was a commodity to an elf who has extremely long life expectancies, so Chase never bothered to explain, now the circumstances had changed.

“Yes,” the naga sighs, “and the capital of the Yeti from this area is all the way over here.” 

“Ah,” Jack saw as Chase points to the different direction they are meant to travel. That was that. This cold moon loving villa is where they part ways. Jack felt an immense sadness.

“If you are planning to go to the capital, let me know, and I’ll take you.”

Jack’s head turned to Chase so quickly he felt a tad dizzy.

“What? Why?” The elf blinks, and tears fall from his eyes.

Chase felt awkward. Jack cried so much, “stop that,” he moved to rub those pesky tears out of Jack’s face, “it would be my way of repaying you for saving my life.”

“Oh,” even though Dr. Moldreth said that no one in the capital would be able to help him, it was still calming to know that he won’t have to do the trip alone, “thank you.”

“I was planning to take shortcuts through the forests,” Chase continues, “but I could take roads that cross to cities instead. Try to find a better doctor or treatment.”

Jack frowns, and slowly he comes to a heartstopping realization. He found a medical advancement in this tiny secluded town, a city might have even greater advancements. Even if no one can treat him in the capital, someone else might be able to help him somewhere else. He can search for a powerful wizard or a holy healer. 

“You are a genius!” Jack smiles widely, and Chase smiles back almost shyly. 

“I am, but we are not done.”

“We are not?” Jack tilts his head, and he has seen Chase do it. That solves their big problem.

“It would still be a perilous journey, and since it’s my quest, you won’t have much to gain from it. That’s why I need you to ask for something,” Chase didn’t have much way he will somehow fulfill whatever demand Jack makes, “it will be my way to repay you for your aid.”

The elf's first instinct was to ask for something in the future when Chase had rebuilt his kingdom, but who knows how far ahead that would be. Jack should try to ask for something Chase could provide right now. He could ask for nothing, but he knows this will offend the naga. Plus, maybe this will keep the naga from constantly reminding him that he is free to go whenever he wants, which sounds more like Chase is trying to get rid of him. Jack looks around the room for an idea, and he finds it. 

“Anything?”

“...within reason.” 

“Then, can I have your scales?” Jack asks, looking at the wall with their inventory.

Chase felt his whole body tighten, and his skin runs cold regardless of the fire burning behind him. 

“My scales?” The naga looks at his tail, his scales had turned a dull deep grey, but they still have their perfect shape. He didn’t have much, but he always had his scales, “for you,” Chase closes his eyes as he decides, “and only for you. Yes.” 

Jack stands up and goes to pick up the three scales Chase lost during his sleep period. 

“You make it sound as I’m going to rip them off you.” Jack touches the edges of the loose scales. They were sharp, but he can make them sharper!

Chase immediately goes to hug his tail. Jack notices this and laughs. 

“Now that’s settled, let continue.” 

Chase goes into more detail about the deal he made with Wuya and the two Xiaolin monks. They used the spell he crafted to capture the Heylin. But the spell weakens with time, and after a thousand years, the Heylin will be released from their prisons. Once they are free, they will come to take their revenge on Chase.

“What will you do?” Jack could not imagine they would be able to hide from multiple Heylin demons and the Xiaolin hunters. 

“I’m going to kill as many as I can before the thousand years are up. We already found one, and I killed him. Gigi was awake and was looking for ways to increase his power but he was confined to a specific place,” fighting Gigi wasn’t easy.

“Do you have enough time to kill them all?” Jack looks at the map as Chase marks places where he thinks he could find his enemies. 

“No,” Chase could try recovering his magic during this time or try assembling an army. But it would be hard to do so on the road and in a time crunch, “as of right now, this is no longer a revenge quest. This is plain survival.” 

Jack nods, “I like a simple plan.”

The two of them look at each other and share a smile. It was odd, as difficulties and obstacles piled on top of them, neither felt discouraged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's going to start moving a little bit faster but there is still more to go. Funny enough this started as a simple smut idea but I end up thinking of so many different scenes I want to write so instead I'm trying to fit everything into a single story. It has been super fun. Thanks to everyone reading this and especially to everyone who comments!  
> Thanks to Littleonevixen for beta this work :)


	15. Fire Pit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase and Jack are forced to endure the winter.   
> Chase is confronted by an enemy and Jack is confronted by the hardest decision of his life.  
> The knife's function becomes clear-er

**Fire Pit**

Chapter 15

Chase wakes up with the sunrise. He leaves the comfort of his bed, careful not to wake up Jack, and moves in front of the fireplace. The snake pretends that the fire is the sun, closes his eyes and does his daily mediation. He takes a few extra minutes because when he reopens his eyes he will have to restart his now exhausted routine. 

The naga lets out a long breath and starts his day. Chase adds a log to the fire and starts breakfast. 

He hears Jack drag himself out of the bed, and he prepares a teacup for the elf.

“Morning,” Jack takes the cup and yawns loudly. He turns to look for his glass bottle and mixes his medicine on the ginger orange tea. 

“Hungry?” Chase asks but he is already serving Jack’s plate.

“Every morning,” Jack happily takes his plate, “who knew you would be such a good housekeeper.” 

“As soon as this dreadful weather changes I’m leaving!” Chase hisses but he still feels happy when Jack digs into his meal, “potato cake with onions. We ran out of meat yesterday.”

“Hopefully the traps caught something today,” though the traps hadn’t been lucky.

“If they don’t, I’ll have Naza set some more,” Chase serves himself tea and sits next to Jack. He hasn’t been able to eat since he woke up. Naza told him not to force himself since it could be that his digestive system is not ‘on.’ While Chase hasn’t felt a decrease in his energy, he has lost substantial weight. 

Jack frowns, he has been leaving to work on his watch every day for a week now, leaving Chase and Naza alone. Those two don’t know how to behave.

Naza’s attitude has become colder and cutting, but she goes with what Chase tells her as if it was her job. And when she is done, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol. On the other hand, Chase is restless to do something and has been using Naza as his eyes and hands outside the tent. He has definitely been taking his frustration on Naza. Hot anger builds between them and Jack isn’t sure for how long they will remain civil. 

“Don’t get us kicked out,” Jack whispers and Chase rolls his eyes, “hey, only one of us can’t produce his own heat!” 

“I’m nice,” Chase tries to defend himself but he can’t come with an actual argument. 

“Aha,” Jack teases Chase a little longer. They talk about anything that comes to mind until Jack decides it’s time to leave. 

Chase watches the tent close, the room feels empty when Jack is gone. The naga pushes a complicated set of feeling away and continues cleaning after breakfast.

“Are you done pretending to be asleep?” Chase asks as he serves the last plate. 

Naza takes an exaggerated breath and sits up, “setting more traps won’t increase the animals out there,” she moves to get her breakfast and ignores Chase’s glare.

“It will increase our chances of trapping something,” Chase senses had been slowly returning through the week, and now he could smell Naza who had refused to shower after the last time Chase forced her, “at this pace, we will be out of food in two weeks.” 

“It won’t. No animal stupid enough to stay this close to us has survived to this point. If you want some meat, then I need to move further away -two to four days out.”

Chase snorts at her suggestion, “Jack tells me you returned empty-handed from your little hunting trips.”

“I can hunt when I want to!” Naza blushes and starts eating. The food was good, much better than what she has been having in the last year. It was the highlight of her day every day, “I’ll bring you something so you make me a steak.”

“You get me a deer and I’ll be making jerky and stew.” 

“I’m tired of stew!” Naza whines.

“And I’m tired of imaginary deer,” Chase crosses his arms, “go set more traps.”

Naza continues to eat her breakfast. She knows she is right, but Chase won’t listen to her.

“Fine!” 

Naza leaves and Chase is once again alone.

He cleans, fixes the bed, carves more stars in the wall, exercises, and cleans again. The naga plays with the fire and practices his magic but soon he grows bored of even his favorite activity. He was so terribly bored that he was thankful to see Naza returned early. However, Naza wasn’t a quality company.

Neither knew what to say to the other, and any attempt at a conversion resulted in hostility barely disguised as an opinion. But, they didn’t want to fight. 

They sat in an awkward silence for four hours until Jack returned. 

The elf was once again greeted by a tense and nerve-racking atmosphere that quickly faded when he announced he had brought something. 

Jack has been bringing small tricks every other day. He has been working on making a watch. He designed and assembled one in the past, but he didn’t make the pieces. The gears needed for the watch are small, thin, and precise. It required expert-level metalwork and Jack is struggling. So he has been practicing making small things like spoons, hooks, and nails without a mold. Today he brought a treat.

It was a wood box, a repurposed drawer, with chunky gears standing against each other.

The naga and yeti lean in curious about what it would do.

Jack takes the lever and turns it a few times, when he lets it go music plays.

“A music box!” Naza beams, smiling brightly.

“Music!” Chase could imagine hours of silence being filled with the soft melody. 

“The gears don’t have to be as perfect,” Jack goes on a long explanation in how he figured out how to make a music box. 

The trio enjoys a nice night. Chase served them some bread with a savory jam made of mushrooms, rosemary, and peppercorns. Jack talked about his plans and eventually his inventions he wants to one day build. And, Naza drank a normal amount while enjoying a warm feeling.

The next day was even worse than the one before. 

Neither Chase nor Naza wanted to spend time with each other but both wanted to play with the music box. 

There was nothing for them to do either, so they sat opposite to each other, took turns winding up the music box, and glared in a tense silence. 

Finally, Chase broke.

“Fine,” he declares defeated, “tell me your story.”

“...excuse me?” Naza looks up to see an annoying naga hovering over her. 

“Your story, what went wrong with your life?” 

“What went wrong with  _ your _ life?!” Naza shots back.

“Hey, I’m not the one-” Chase stops, he really can’t afford to be thrown out for insulting their host, “you say you want to help, right?”

“Right,” Naza narrows her eyes and crosses her arms, “you can say whatever you are going to say -not that you haven’t been saying whatever pleases you. I won’t throw you out. I hear you talk about me with Jack every morning,” the yeti hurries to add, “it’s a small room. I’m not spying.”

“Then pardon my honesty, redeemed hostess,” Chase uses an overly sugary tone to mock her.

“You are a real piece of trash! Weak and getting weaker by the day but you still like to run your mouth,” Naza starts not caring that this will escalate things. 

“Yes,” Chase hisses, he isn’t prideful enough to not recognize his situation, “but I want to live. I want to survive this. You don’t.”

“Hey! I’m doing my part!” Naza has been working every day. 

“You do what you are told-”

“I’m helping you! You could at least be thankful!” Naza stands up forcing Chase to back away.

“That’s what you tell yourself, eh?” Chase raises too, making sure to appear taller than Naza, though he has lost so much weight he would prefer not to have to fight her right now.

“I save your life you ungrateful reptile,” Naza spits.

“And for that, I’m thankful,” Chase was honest and it threw Naza off, “I would be dead if not for you and Jack. But you didn’t help me out of the goodness of your heart, not that anyone does. Something broke you but it didn’t end you. Now you are on a path of self-destruction, but that is a hard path to walk. It’s better if you have a noble cause to pour yourself into, pretend you are not waiting for death to come to collect your weary soul,” Chase stops when he sees Naza’s shocked face begin to tremble as tears fall. People always look ugly when crying, “when we leave what will happen to you?” Chase pushes not letting Naza turn away from the conversation, “Jack is building me a home, but he is building you a grave.”

“STOP!” Naza screams and breaks down crying.

Chase listens and moves away from Naza. 

He picks the music box and winds it up once again. 

The music plays in the background as Naza tries to collect herself.

Chase stares at the mess of the crying woman on the floor. He wonders how could Jack compare him with someone so pathetic, or maybe that’s how Jack sees him now. 

Broken, lost, and ready for death.

The hour passes slowly. The tension in the room is unbearable.

Naza didn’t want to accept it but it was hard to argue. Every decision she has made after the passing of her brother seems to hurt her. 

“I don’t want to die,” her voice was raspy and her face puffy.

“You could have fooled me,” Chase smirks and turns to look at her, “so, tell me.”

Naza didn’t want to talk about it, but is the only thing she has been thinking.

“It doesn’t matter,” Naza tries to push her memories away but they are always in her mind.

“Maybe, but what else is there to do?”

Naza looks up to see the cold heartless man. 

“You could tell me what you two are doing here?” Naza never asked because she didn’t care.

“I’m a fallen king and warrior from a millennia ago, and Jack and I are on the path to vengeance. I would say it’s not going as planned, but there never was much of a plan.”

Naza stares at him as she processes what he just said.

“You were what?” 

“The naga king,” Chase was more frustrated than sad about the loss of his kingdom. He likes to think that Jack knows that, yet Jack still sees Chase in that broken woman, “your turn. Entertain me.” 

Naza stares blankly at him. She didn’t believe him but what could she have said to that?

“I assumed a king like yourself can connect the state of my home and myself with my tale.”

“Mm,” Chase settles down closer to the fire, maybe he hoped too much from her -or maybe his expectations were screwed due to Jack being a storyteller, “your brother died in a fire.”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“Then tell me. There's no one else here to listen, and it has to be better than drinking yourself to slumber.”

Naza was reluctant to share her tale with someone so callous, but no one else would listen. 

“My brother, Njord Merrick was a good man,” she ignores the way Chase seems already half bored. If she is going to tell her story, she is going to start from the beginning, “but it didn’t start with him. Long ago the kingdom of the North sent off an expedition.”

“The Crania kingdom, the land of the mountains and silver,” Chase tilts his head. He studied them when researching for his kingdom -while tundra and desert are very different environments, they both had troubles producing food, “I didn’t think they would have the guts to take over someone else’s territory,” Chase considered it but he didn’t have the military power to overtake more territory.

“We didn’t. We looked for fertile unclaimed land!” Naza is quick to defend a land she has never seen.

“So tell me, who did you pay for this land?” 

Naza blushes.

“Lady Eka, she graciously agreed to let us stay on this land as long as we don’t make a ruckus. After Beatel moved in and we have a short-lived uh war.”

Chase chuckles at the story, “Eka sure likes to pick in everyone's secrets and keeps her own out of any conversation.” 

Naza stops mid-thought and looks to Chase, “you know Lady Eka?” 

“She also, graciously, let me stay on her land,” Chase laughs and tries to keep his hostility out of voice -she did kick them out right before winter hit.

“...How is she? Is it true that she bends reality to her whim? That her scales are coated in gold?” 

“She is short and fat, can’t fight, and incredibly wise and intelligent. Now that we are done-”

“Is she pretty?”

“Yes! Now, continue. You were about to tell me how your ancestors starved to death.” 

Naza blinks, surprised at Chase’s crude but correct remark, “people expected to replenish their resources when the crops were ripe but no one had experience farming.”

Chase nods, he had to stay in the Echodour Kingdom for a decade to train farmers a lifetime ago.

“Not enough food,” Chase almost misses having big plans with set guidelines, “what a predicament.”

Naza felt upset in a different way. The way Chase talks as if he has first-hand experience of these events, “one family did well, the Brunner family, they shared their good fortune with others. Year after year, generation after generation. They trained other members of the community and asked for more land, so they might expand their crops. It was their idea to trade fruits for other foods on the seashore villas. They pulled our village from certain death to the great producer it’s today.”

“But they got greedy,” Chase sighs, remembering the Han family who chose war instead of allowing him to passage a few months out of the year, “they asked for more and who could say no, after all, they did so much for the village.”

Naza’s mouth hangs open. 

“They had been taking my family's land, a mile at the time, for generations-”

“They planted their orchard in your land?” Chase immediately considers chopping a tree down to use as building materials. But he has a feeling that Naza won’t accept that request.

“Part of it, but they wanted it more.”

There was a sad note in her voice followed by a long pause.

“Oh.”

“When my parents died, the Brunner family helped my siblings and I. They sent us food, they gave me a job, they paid for my school -so I looked the other way when they pressured my brother to sell our land. Then I got engaged to Blodeuwedd Brunner, the second daughter of the Brunner house. The fire was a week after our engagement party.”

“So, you think-”

“I know,” Naza turns away, “I was at the Brunner’s house, Dew and I was talking about what color we should wear when I got a sniff of smoke. We ran to my house, the whole town was there, my sister was on the floor pinned down by her husband -everyone decided that it was not worth risking their lives. The fire was so tall and hot,” Naza stops remembering the heat on her skin, “I saw the deer hanging from a tree. My brother returned early from his hunting trip. I ran in. I ran in and looked for him.”

Chase could picture it, and he feels some sympathy for Naza but he still doesn't understand her. 

“I found him on the kitchen floor, laying on a pool of his own blood,” Naza’s sadness is temporarily shoved away in the favor of anger, “I told them what I saw. I didn’t want to believe it but who else would gain from this. Who else would do this? My brother is on his back, a knife wound on his chest -he drowned in his home,” Naza was breathless, “And two days after, the Brunner eldest son died from air poisoning.”

“Smoke poisoning,” Chase was not there but he can clearly see a pattern. 

“I told them what happened but no one wanted to believe me, they didn’t want to go against the Brunners so,” Naza couldn’t continue, she couldn’t say it.

“They let them get away with murder.” 

Naza felt as all strength left her body and she collapsed on the floor.

“They had been leaving bottles by my path.”

“That explains how you never seem to run out,” Chase sees something else in her, “so it's not his death but the betrayal.”

“He deserves better. Njord was such a gentle soul. He was cooking for the moon’s sake! I wonder if he saw him come to the house with a knife in hand but thought nothing of it. I wonder if they tried negotiating first, if Njord took him to the cellar. After all, we all grew so close to each other.” 

“You want justice for your brother,” Chase said instead of what he was thinking. Cellars are usually made out of rock and are underneath the house so it could still be mostly intact despite the fire. There were plenty of untapped resources, they could cut the trees and raid the cellar. But even Chase knew not to ask for that. He would do it himself but he can’t leave the tent. 

The snake couldn’t do it himself or ask Naza. He recognized that it was far more complicated for Naza. She has been a great help building half of the house, treating Chase’s injuries and offering them shelter. However, she has only done what she is willing to do -she wants to help so she does.

Then Chase saw himself in Naza. A younger, naive and desperate version of himself. The woman keeps cleaning her face as a new wave of endless tears comes through her.

Naza was like him the day he made a deal with the devil.

He was so young, naive and desperate, and so easy to manipulate.

Hundreds of thoughts race in his head, as Chase tries to figure out how to convince Naza that  she wants to cut down the trees on her property and take the supplies from the cellar.

“I’m never getting justice for him,” Naza rolls over and winds up the music box, “I resign myself. I’m just a sad woman with a sad tale, and maybe you are right, I might just be waiting for death.” 

Chase curses in his mind, Jack was right he shouldn’t have antagonized her so much. He thinks back to when Hannibal first appeared to him, what the damned demon did to get Chase to lower his guard?

It was obvious; he comforted Chase. Hannibal told him exactly what he wanted to listen. 

“Where is he now?” 

Naza freezes at the question, her stomach contracts into a tiny knot and her face heats up.

“My brother, I buried him by the barrier -a spot he liked to nap. I think he would have liked that.” 

“You buried him in the dead of winter?” Chase waits for Naza to nod, “you really love him.” 

The knot in Naza’s stomach eases as more tears escape her already red eyes.

“Hush,” Chase moves closer and carefully puts his hand on Naza’s shoulder. He thinks how would he get Jack to stop crying, and he delicately wipes a tear from Naza’s face, “you did everything you could. Let go of your guilt for a second and just breathe.” 

Naza was shocked but she couldn’t turn down those nice words. She craved them for so long. Someone, anyone, who could offer her some relief. 

“Did I?” Naza unconsciously leans into the touch, “Did I really?”

“Yes, you did,” Chase says so kindly. Naza has never thought of men as pretty but there was something so enticing about those soft eyes in contrast to Chase’s sharp features. 

“Then why do I feel as if it’s not enough.”

“Because it isn’t. There are more guilty than just his killer. A fire that great could not be done by a single person, but they refuse to investigate at every step. They all share the guilt but you are the only one suffering,” Chase pulls her closer into a tight embrace, “How could they do that?”

“It was easier to make me into a mad woman than to believe me and accept what the Brunners have done. But what else could I do?”

“Oh, you are so sweet,” Chase moved away to see Naza’s sorry face, “when I was betrayed and left for dead, my first thought was to get revenge but you -it hasn’t even crossed your mind, hasn’t it?” 

Hannibal used questions, he made it feel as if Chase had an actual said when he was cornering him. 

“I. I couldn’t. I can’t. I can’t,” Naza shakes her head, “I won’t hurt them.”

“I see that. There is something honorable in your loyalty, as undeserving they are of it. You were cast aside. You cry every night. You are the one who will never recover, but the rest get to move on. You still honor the deals your family made,” Chase remembers how Hannibal made him feel as he was the one in control instead of simple dealing with a situation bigger than he was, “next spring your brother won’t be here but the Brunner family will still get to pick their damn fruit out of your property as if they were not responsible for his dead. How is it fair?” 

“It isn’t. They didn’t pick the fruit last year. I picked it -I didn’t want to see anyone so-”

“I understand,” Chase didn’t, “you just wanted to be done with it. Still, it’s sicking how they not only get away with your brother’s murder but they will soon get the property. They will get everything they want. Would you pick the fruit again when spring comes?” 

Naza didn’t think about it. She hasn’t been thinking about anything, just remembering. 

“Can we not talk about this?” She was so tired and she could use a drink, “please.”

“Of course, whenever you feel up to it. Okay?” 

“Okay,” Naza stands up but then she turns. In their short conversation Naza believes Chase is who he says, a king. Wise and experienced, she turns for advice, “what would you do?”

“I would make this whole village feel my pain,” Chase answers honestly, “but I see how that would hurt you too. So at the very least, I would not let them benefit from his death and uphold Njord’s last command. I would lead with strength and govern over my land… as you should. After all, aren’t you the head of the house now?”

Naza held her breath and let her sadness run through her, “I am.”

Jack returns to an intense atmosphere which quickly fades. He isn’t sure what happened but he can tell something is different in Chase’s and Naza’s dynamic. 

Dinner is served, and Jack entertains his small audience with a story. Music plays for a few more hours and they all go to sleep. 

Naza stays up drinking. She empties more bottles than she usually does and in her intoxicated state she picks an ax. The woman stumbles outside the tent and walks to the closest tree. The moon is gone tonight and with no witness to her actions she begins her work.

Chase and Jack are awakened by the sound. The naga smiles at his work and Jack frowns. 

“Now she thinks of cutting down a tree?” Jack sits up.

“Oh, it will be good for us,” Chase pulls Jack’s arm sending him crashing back to bed, “did you know there is a cellar?”

“Cellar?” Jack mouths and then sits back up, “is there food? Shelves? Medicine? Something we can use?” 

“I don’t know,” Chase laughs and pulls Jack back down, “she told me by accident so I don’t think she is planning on sharing whatever is in there.”

“Mm, that means you two are getting along?” Jack considers looking for it and stealing from it.

“But I think I can convince her to share,” Chase purrs, satisfied with his new found talent.

“Mm? What are you thinking?” Jack tries to settle back into a comfortable position.

“I think that I found common ground with Naza. I can finally relate to her,” Chase chuckles and Jack enjoys how the vibrations sound on his chest.

“You sound pretty suspicious and down right evil right now,” Jack yawns and presses his cheek against Chase’s chest, “night.”

Chase hugs Jack and lets his tail curl around the elf’s leg. After Jack told Chase he loved him, the man took the liberty of increasing their skin to skin contact by burying his tail inside Jack’s clothes. The naga didn’t understand the attachment to family, a house or even not wanting revenge, he did feel sympathy for Naza. He couldn’t imagine losing someone who loves you. The naga tightens his hold on Jack. 

The following weeks were very productive. Naza spends her days cutting down trees, and Chase cutting them into planks. Jack still worked mornings on the workshop, but returned early to help Chase continue building their house. A table, two chairs, a medium bench and a bookshelf made the room look like a house. 

Naza found a few squirrels’ nests and they became their new source of meat. Jack started the construction of the roof, and Chase, unable to go outside, carved patterns on their furniture.

In the third week, a new addition was done to their home, a watch. The watch hangs over the fireplace as the centerpiece of the room. The three stared at the hands of the watch moved in awestruck for hours. Jack was proud of his creation. Naza has never seen something like it and Chase thought it has a secret to tell. 

In an uncommonly good day, Chase got Naza talking about her brother. She talked about his cooking skill that led to explaining his special savory jellies that reside in the cellar. In an act of good fate, Naza garee to share a jar. 

That night wasn’t particularly good. The food was delicious but after dinner was over Naza felt a void inside of her. 

Later, after the couple had been asleep for a few hours she sneaked out. 

The yeti watched the crescent moon for what felt for hours and quietly sang a song.

She sat in a tree stump singing to the moon when she felt a pair of intense eyes on her. Naza turns to find Chase watching her through an opening in the tent.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Naza’s voice was raspy.

“You are so sad,” Chase blanky says. 

“Ha!” Naza laughs, a short cutting humorous laugh, “I don’t want to hear that from a man too weak to step out of the tent.” 

With that Chase returns inside. Naza watches the place where he was for a moment before returning to the moon. She opens a new bottle and takes a swing.

After a moment, she hears the crunch of the snow.

She turns to find Chase covered in blankets, carrying a metal bowl, a fur, firewood and a torch. Naza sees him make his way next to her, set the bowl on the floor with the wood inside, put the fur next to it and climb to it. He throws the torch in and leans in. The man shivers but after a few minutes of nesting next to the fire seems back to his senses.

“You. Are. So. Sad.”

Naza stares in disbelief and then bursts in laughter, “you are the worst,” doubles over holding her stomach, wheezing for air.

“Here. Alone. Like a loser.”

“No work, no food, no temptation to leave the safe haven that elf built you. But you have to come over and insult me.” 

“I have to,” Chase pulls from under his blankets two wooden cuts.

Naza stares at them for a second long, “cups?”

“I know you like to drink from the bottle like an animal, but indulge me.” 

“Sure,” Naza was too happy about the prospect to drink with someone to even register the insult, “here, give me.” 

Naza seves Chase a fraction of what she served herself and tries warming his drink on the flame. 

“I didn’t know you could sing,” Chase says as he takes his drink.

“Everyone here has to take choir classes. For the moon festival,” Naza turns her head up and looks at the moon with an unrivaled longing.

“You too?” Chase takes a sip and immediately spits it out, “what poison is this?” it burns his throat before he drinks it and it tastes like something a doctor will use to clean a wound, “is this lighter fluid?” To make a point, Chase spills the contents of the cup on the fire and it raises a massive flame, “this is lighter fluid.”

“No!” Naza blushes, “lighter fluid is more expensive.” 

Chase glares at her which causes Naza to laugh.

“So you came here to worship the moon?” Chase choses to move on.

“Yeah, it has been a while since I came to her. I thought that she was mad at me,” Naza plays with her cup and then turns to Chase, “‘you too?’ where are you referring to Jack?”

“Yes, he is a moon elf.”

“Ah, yes. I forget. He avoids being out at night and rarely looks at the moon, much less worships her,” Naza didn’t used to be so blunt, but because of her dynamic with the pair of men she could say anything.

“He has a, how do you call it? A complicated relationship with the moon.”

“Don’t we all?” Naza brushes that huge piece of information without judgment, and Chase likes her a little more for it.

“I don’t really understand your love towards the moon, she seems to me rather cold.”

“She is! This love is one-sided. We loved her so much, and wanted to please her but she cares not for us. She is a selfish woman, but she is so beautiful and powerful and eternal we let her. We asked permission to adore her,” Naza smiles as the moon begins to descend, the night is almost over, “when she calls we run, but we could beg and she will not move.”

Chase thinks of Jack, “a lover like that is not worth all the trouble. He should find someone better, more dependable and warm, like the sun.” 

Naza narrows her eyes trying to understand Chase’s thoughts, “are we talking about an actual relationship?” 

“No!” Chase immediately answers and Naza scratches her head.

“Well, then. You can’t blame the moon for being cold and absent when she pleases. She never claimed to be another thing, it’s on us the responsibility to our hearts.”

“Still, couldn’t she be kind? Treat him nicely,” the naga wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Of course the moon would take Jack of all elf into special consideration but he was still angry that she wouldn’t descend from the sky and care for him as he deserves. 

“What?” 

“I’m just saying there are better lovers out there!” Chase blushes and leans into the fire until he can breath in the heat.

“Are you jealous of the moon? Because it sounds to me like-” 

“NO. I’m just very defensive,” Chase brings his voice back down and ignores Naza’s smug face, “of the sun.” 

“And how does the sun look? Is he six feet tall, pointy ears, blushed cheeks and snow-white face with happy red eyes?” Naza laughs

“I’ll kill you. Don’t think I won’t because-”

“HEY!” Jack screams from inside the tent. The night is over and the sunrise breaks into a pink dawn, “we finally got a table and you two chose to go to the snow!” 

Jack walks towards them holding a heavy metal teapot. 

“You are up,” Chase feels oddly nervous, “you usually sleep another hour or so.”

“I got cold without you,” Jack lifts the teapot and Chase happily lines his cup.

Naza looks at the interaction and something just dawns upon her. 

“Naza, ginger tea?” Jack moved to her cup but it was still half full.

The woman empties her cup on the snow and lines her cup. She watches Jack put the teapot on the edge of the metal bowl and climb on Chase’s lap, as the two of them watch the sunrise. 

“I never asked, but what are you two uh of each other?”

“Traveling companions,” Jack answers without looking away from the sunrise. 

Chase turns to look at Naza who has the gall to look him in the eye and adds, “I hope it is not a complicated relationship,” and drinks her tea.

“As soon as my appetite is back, I will eat you,” Chase turns annoyed and flusther to see the sunrise for the first time in five weeks. 

He hugs Jack tightly and feels the warm of his body. The elf felt in utter peace. 

The yellow light bathes the snow, fog raises, and the air smells clean. It was beautiful in a harsh and simultaneously delicate way only nature can be. 

That was a good start to a complicated day. 

A few minutes after the surprise, while the three of them were still enjoying their tea under the weak sun, a horse came into the property.

Nezi hoped he could come early and drop Jack’s medication by the same place people drop off Naza’s boose. But today he has a message, so he has to walk all the way to the burnt house to deliver it.

He didn’t expect to see a tiny cottage standing tall. It was composed of three strong stones plus a tent covering the fourth wall under construction, a nearly done roof, and smoke coming out of a wide chimney. Nezi didn’t want to see Naza, but when he saw her she looked different. She wasn’t anymore the same girl he grew up with but neither was she the broken woman he met just a few weeks ago. 

“Nezi?” Jack calls, nested in a huge man, drinking tea. 

“Good Morning!” The yeti didn’t expect to see the three of them together drinking tea like good buddies. 

“Good news?” Naza asks immediately and Nezi remembers what he came to do. 

“Jack, if you don’t mind?” The man gets off his horse and he and Jack move further away. 

Jack made sure to move out of earshot for Naza but not for Chase. 

First, Nezi gave Jack a refill for his medication. Second, he told him the news. No one in the capital would take his case, but he was recommended to seek a second opinion on the Holy Crest. An organization of powerful magical healers known to regenerate entire limbs. “They think you will be a good candidate, but it’s far.”

“I travel long distance in a short time-”

“It’s in another continent by the edge of the world.”

Jack’s heart sank. There is only one way to reach that and it’s by boat.

“I’ll make it.” 

They bid a quick goodbye. 

Jack returns to Chase, dropping himself into his lap. The sun is up but the day is still cold and with the fire almost out they chose to go back in.

Jack concentrated in helping Naza build the last wall. The elf works in making the frame for the door and Naza nails planks to the wood and stone structure. Chase prepares lunch and considers his next move. He assumed that something that Jack couldn’t do would force them to go their separate ways. Chase never considers that will be the other way around. They still had a stretch of path to travel together, until they reached the seashore. 

At the end of the day Jack and Chase talked about their plans. Chase's plans haven’t changed, he wants to find Wuya and kill her, so after reaching the seashore he will be traveling west. Jack is original from the edge of the world and he has experience traveling by boat, so he will be fine. And maybe someday they will meet each other again. 

Naza left to hunt to give them space.

Chase and Jack lay on the bed in a tense moment. They had known each other for only four months but it feels like a lifetime. 

“I don’t care if I never see you again,” Chase says and Jack wants to hit him, “just survive and live a good life.”

“I care if I see you again. Hey! I saw Perlen again after like sixty or seventy years by coincidence! We will see each other again.” 

“Perlen,” Chase thinks back to the man, “do you still love him?” 

Jack was surprised by the question, “I kinda do. He was my best friend even when I wasn’t a good friend to him all the time.”

“So how long do you think I have before you also start  _ kinda _ loving me?” 

Jack wanted to laugh but Chase was serious. The naga didn’t take those words lightly. The relationships he forges are rare and special. He doesn’t trust many and he loves fewer.

“I don’t know,” Jack felt guilty, but his mind was made beyond his heart. He wants to live and he will always choose the path that assures his life, “find me before that happens.” 

“I’ll,” Chase looks into those red eyes and wonders if they are going to part ways without one last kiss. A real one this time, “we always knew the nature of our deal was temporary and out of convenience. But I fear I might never find a better company.” 

The naga’s tail finds its way under Jack’s shirt and wraps around the elf until it rests on his cheek. 

They shared their sad night until they fell asleep.

The next day Naza returned empty-handed and hungover. It wasn’t a surprise but it was still disappointing. 

  
  


The days after were a blur. Chase and Jack still enjoy each other’s company but knowing that their time together was ending. As the snow thins and days last a little longer, their work is done and the cottage finished.

The pair work in preparing two bags of resources for when they separate ways. Jack was introduced to an old mine where he would spend the majority of his time trying to find iron. He didn’t find iron but he did find other metallics like magnesium. He tried purifying it to play with it in the workshop. But it wasn’t until Chase touched it after heating up his hands on the fire that they discovered it’s nature. A bright white light burns when the material is heated. They spend the rest of the week thinking of possible uses for it. Both agree it would make an interesting weapon, but it’s delicate and it burns too quickly. Unlike at the beginning of winter where every little action seems to take a great deal of effort and time, the last four weeks were a flash. And before either could notice, winter ended. 

Naza lets them know that the solstice festival is on its way. Now, she asks Jack something the elders' committee had been bugging her about -just one time she was summoned. 

“Since the weather will soon start to warm up a bit, and you two are planning on leaving soon -Jack do you mind closing the barrier?”

“The barrier?” Jack and Chase were working on making Chase some winter clothes. Since the weather is warm enough for the snake to take a stroll but too cold for him to be out for more than a few hours before starts feeling lethargic. 

“Yeah, the one you broke to enter the town,” Naza counts weeks, that will be almost three months.

Jack turns to look at Chase. They talk about the knife and how it appeared to be able to cut magic, but it appears that it has another characteristic, “hasn't it been repaired yet?”

“The elders tried but no one is able to undo your blocking spell -it’s as if that piece of land lost its connection to the moon.” 

“Did they try going around it?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t form a perfect circle and they worry the barrier is not as strong. I really don’t care but do you mind fixing it before you leave?” 

“...sure!” The two of them reach the same conclusion. Whatever the knife cuts will stay cut, “we are almost done here, Chase do you want to come?” 

The naga nods and puts on his jacket. It was purposely lost for when he regains some wait but he is pleased with the cut.

They were about to leave the house when Naza got a sniff of smoke. It wasn’t from the fire and it wasn’t burnt food. It was smoke and something on her scream in full panic.

“Naza?” Chase calls as the yeti runs out of the house. Chase and Jack follow behind as Naza moves like a madwoman.

Smoke, tall and black grows not far from the village. People start gathering by the barrier to observe the oddity. The fire grows unnaturally tall twisting into a tornado before transforming into a woman made out of flames suspended in the sky.

Chase and Jack recognized her and both cursed. 

“Attention, I’m Kimiko Tohomiko and I’m looking for a fugitive. A naga charged with crimes against nature. Please turn him in and I’ll leave,” Kimiko opens her arm and three fireballs are into the town, entering through the one weak point in the barrier. People desperately try to dodge but the fire lifts up as it has a mind of it’s own and transforms into firebirds.

“Fuck!” Jack looks at the birds flying above the townspeople searching for them, then he looks at the people whispering in fear and looking at them.

“Fuck indeed,” Chase hasn’t been this weak since he was a kid. He couldn’t fight a whole town of people. Much less Kimiko Fucking Tohomiko, Miss fireball in the sky.

Naza steps between them in the mod.

“Stop this!” She screams and people listen, even in this situation they feel as if they own her something, “I live with these two men for months and they are not criminals! Please think, crimes against nature? What the fuck is that?” 

There is a muted pause. 

“Naza, you are not asking us to risk our lives for these strangers. Have you gone crazy?”

“Maybe, in all honesty, maybe,” Naza laughs, it was humorous in the wrong way, “we are strong together. We can uphold the barrier, give them time to escape, no one has to die. Please. I don’t want -I can’t bury anyone else.” 

Chase considers if Naza has actually gone mad. She was asking for the impossible. But this was an opportunity for people to be there for her and make up for the year they left her alone.

Naza wasn’t crazy. She knew these men very well could be criminals, and she knew they don’t care that much for her either. Yet she was choosing them over the safety of the people she grew up with because, in the hardest moment of her life, they left her alone. For a year they watched her deteriorate in silence, but in the last three months Chase and Jack kept her company and that was everything to her. 

“We can’t,” someone said and quietly everyone agreed, “we will not turn them in, but we will fight for them.” 

It was more than Chase and Jack expected but to Naza was another letdown.

“Of course not! You are all cowards!” Naza tries running after whoever is closer but Chase holds her back, “fucking cowards! You still talk to my brother’s killers. You still have dinner-” Naza stops trying to fight and Chase drags her under a tree out of the birds’ view.

“Thank you,” Jack says to Naza, and Chase nods. He didn’t expect her to fight for them. He knows she was doing it more for her past trauma but it was still touching. 

“You can take Nezi’s horse and wagon. I’ll pay him back so far-”

“How would we get out of here unseen?” Jack asks and Naza cries some more while whispering ‘I don’t know, I don’t know.’

Chase looks at the birds and considers trying to overtake the fire. But play magical tow-o-war with Kimiko will not end well for him unless-

“We need more fire,” Chase smiles and briefly considers if maybe he has done crazy, “we have to set the town on fire so I can recover my strength and fight her. And forced the others to fight back.”

Jack stares at Chase as if he was crazy and then he looks at Naza.

Naza’s eyes widen in disbelief and her mouth gaps open like she couldn't breathe. If she wants, she could scream right now and spoil their plans -but, then, these two would be capture. They were barely more than strangers to Naza, especially when she has to weigh their worth next to the people she grows up with. Chase moves to cup Naza’s face, “you don’t want to harm them, but don’t they deserve to feel your pain? Even a fraction of it,” he stares deeply into her grey eyes, “Naza, I won't do this without your blessing. So what do you say?”

To save strangers who sat with her during her darkest hour, or remained loyal to people she called family but let her sleep drunk and alone at the ruins of her home. 

Naza couldn’t speak, she couldn't say it. So she offered a single nod.

“Take Jack to the horse, be ready to leave without me, and wait for my signal.”

Naza nods again but she doesn't move until Jack pulls her. 

Chase returns to the house and finds Naza’s supply of alcohol. This will do. He breaks the neck of a few bottles and pours it into himself. The smell was intoxicating. He then calls for the birds.  Chase waits until they are close, he makes sure to be in the eyesight of the monk, then he uses his magic to set his body on fire. The naga creates a path of fire and destruction wherever he goes. He runs through the cut trees and into the orchard. The wave of white vapor followed by grey smoke blacken the sky. 

Kimiko curses as she loses track of the naga, and worse so, it appears he is planning to burn the whole town down. Now she is certain that Chase was responsible for burning the Duchesses state down too.

The firewoman flies down, she was hoping for permission to enter the town only to see the elf using a torch to burn houses. People are now running out for their lives, Jack throws the torch to her and it immediately burns. 

“Help!” He screams, “The demon is attacking!” 

Kimiko attempts to explain that she is being set up but no one is listening as panic takes over the town. 

Naza is the first one to attack, she throws her lance but it goes right through Kimiko since she is actually made of fire.

“Stop this nonsense this instant!” Kimiko barks but it has the opposite effect.

“Run!” Naza screams and then she sees her sister. Merca is pregnant, running to meet Naza, desperate to not let her sister behind this time. Then the reality of what Naza has done hits her as winter does to a cold-blooded reptile, “everyone run out of here! Save yourself!”

Everything that was crushing her just a second ago, didn't seem as important anymore.

Naza runs to carry her sister out. She turns to look at Jack and hopes he understands; this is where they part ways. Naza knows where the fire is because she helped set it and guides her people to safety. 

Kimiko doesn’t attempt to follow the townspeople for she never meant any harm to them, “he destroys everything, and when the time comes he will destroy you too.” 

Jack was surprised to hear her talk to him, “if this is your way to get me to switch sides, then don’t,” Jack’s horse steps back and he hopes that like the people, Kimiko will let him go too, “unless this is your way to offering me an out. Leave now and never return kinda deal?”

Kimiko laughs at him and Jack would admit that it was terrifying. The way the flames move to force her features but continue to flicker giving her a horrifying shape. 

“If I let you go, you will simply return to him later. I don’t know what he has on you or what he offered, but it was not worth it.”

Kimiko moves calmly, sure that she can win over Jack, and Jack tries to think how to make time. Something jarring and-

“I love him,” Jack blurs out and Kimiko stops mid-step, “I mean I think I do. We haven’t known each other for long, but you know when you know, you know. Do you know?” 

Kimiko makes the same sound when you see a puppy falling off a cliff. The woman tries to think about how to answer but she is taken back by what can only be described as a heatwave. The prairie took one breath and it exhaled fire. The crackling of the fire was deafening, the flames bright like an explosion, and Jack could feel the breath of a predator caressing the hair behind his neck. Kimiko looks up and Jack kicks his horse who happily runs away.

Jack doesn’t look back, he doesn't stop or questions what to do, he runs towards the seashore. 

Kimiko looks up to see fire so tall that it looks as if it could touch the sun, forming the shape of the naga. 

“Oh, so it’s true,” no longer sensing any people around, Kimiko also feeds from her surroundings to grow in size, “you were once a great master.” 

It was what the world always warns against, fire versus fire in an impossible debate. Neither could hurt the other, so it came to who could control all of the fire. It was a fight of will and mental resilience, and neither of the masters is known to lose. 

Kimiko was young and strong, a prodigy, she was excited to fight Chase Young, the Heylin prince who nearly took over the Heylin. She thought of all the glory. Of course, the woman felt bad that she would not be fighting him at his full strength, but he chose to fight her by resisting. 

The giants trampled over everything, consuming all for their powers. And so the dried prairie quickly became fuel for their insatiable appetite. 

Chase was much older than Kimiko, he mastered fire under a strict regimen of self-discipline and recently had mastered a new corner of his own mind. He fought just enough to be a challenge but not enough exhausted himself for today he is a coward. 

“Ha, you monks underestimate me -to think they sent you alone.  _ You _ ,” Chase laughs and Kimiko flinches. He read Eka’s report and it talked about Kimiko’s heritage, “a bastard child trying to prove her worth. Hopefully, after I kill you, you will be reborn as a man. Then you might undo your parents' indiscretions.”

The half-tiefling lost her respect for the man in a second, now she didn’t care for glory, she just wanted to make him pay for what he said, “you talking about my worth? You are nothing!” She follows the man, not caring for the prairie as the fire spreads. 

“Oh, I know my worth, it’s around four of you, Isn’t it?” Chase laughs as he inches closer to Beatel’s territory. For his plan to work he has to push their limits. 

“Where are you?!” Kimiko shouts and tries to find the physical body of the naga, not the fire he is controlling.

“Oh, did I touch a nerve?” Chase's laugher echoes in the sky and Kimiko feels her vision blur with anger. It has been years since someone questioned her like this. 

“I’m going to boil you alive! How about that!” Kimiko roars and she tries to wrestle Chase for control over the fire. The ground under them splits open and Chase makes a run from it. 

The monk could barely celebrate her victory of taking control of most of the fire when a bright light nearly blinds her. The ground cracked open exposing tunnels rich in magnesium, that flashes a white light when burnt. Furthermore, it took only a moment of losing her focus to lose total control over the furthest fire. She was spread too thin and she couldn’t keep the fire from growing to an alarming rate. In every direction, she turns she only sees fire. And then she notices, she is about to enter Eka’s territory -this will be considered an attack. Kimiko has to use all her power and concentration to stop the fire, and it will take hours, maybe days to kill the fire altogether.

By then Chase will be long gone. The monk curses under her laborious breath. 

The night came early, as the smoke blocked all light. 

Jack doesn’t look back and he rides on the stolen horse all day and all night. He feels the pull of the full moon, it tightens his chest and it makes it hard to breathe. Every night since the blue moon, his coming of age ceremony, the pull of the moon has gotten more insistent. 

He sees two trees stand alone in the prairie. It marks the border of Beatel’s territory. Jack stops there and for the first time looks at the inferno behind him. 

“Shit!” He takes a moment to stare at the vast destruction. It terrifies him but it amazes him too. The sheer power that it would take to create such an immense flame. The confidence or authority or whatever it takes to stand there as the king of the world as everything burns. Jack knew he should be terrified but it looked beautiful to him.

He saw a fast-approaching figure with a thin line of fire trailing behind his long body. 

“Chase!” Jack nearly falls off his horse trying to run to meet Chase. The two crash against each other and falls to the floor. Jack laughs through the pain of having Chase completely squeezing him, “oh moon, you are here!”

Chase props himself up with his elbows and struggles to catch his breath, between heavy pants he answers, “did you -you doubt me?” 

Jack pulls a canteen he carries tied to his hips and Chase eagerly drinks until the last drop.

“Yes, I was talking to the horse. I said, five more minutes and we were going to keep running to the beach!” Jack laughs but Chase continues to try to drink from the empty canteen. He stretches his long tongue and sticks it into the narrow hole, “Woah, that's all I have. Well. It was all I have.”

That fight took more out of Chase than he thought it would. Though in all fairness, Chase didn’t think that far.

"We will need to find more supplies-" Chase stops his sentence. They will be taking different paths once they reach the seashore, "we might have to ransack some abandon houses," Chase returns the container.

"How do you know there will be abandon houses with stuff left to ransack?"

"The fire, people will flee for their dear life. I made it so it crosses Beatel's and Eka's territory. The nagas, as passive as these two appear will have to retaliate," Chase partially pleased with forcing Beatel and Eka to take part in a conflict neither want to be part of it as payback for kicking him out **during fucking winter**. But also felt an emotion far too similar to guilt, after all, Beatel and Eka were the first non-hostile nagas he has ever met. They were more than non-hostile, they were friendly...

"Ah, they could use the exercise," Jack tries to laugh, "I hope they forgive us by the time we see each other again -should we be wasting so much time?"

"Jack, Monk Tohomiko has her hands full at the moment. She isn't physically here though," Chase frowns and tries to think how did they found him in such a secluded location before he could think of something his stomach made a loud sound.

“Hungry?” Jack smiles, feeling oddly relieved by Chase's embarrassment. Until this morning Chase didn’t have an appetite -that makes three months with no food.

“Starving,” Chase looks at the horse and Jack knows he is going to have to walk the rest of the way.

“Enough to eat a horse?” Jack asks as Chase moves towards the animal.

“To start with,” Chase holds the animal’s head, and in a quick expert hit, he sacrifices the beast. Jack has had horse meat before, but it takes a while to cook. He was about to mention how they don’t have time to set a fire when Chase rips the head of the body and starts consuming it.

“Never mind, I’m going to walk that way. Catch up when you are done.” 

Jack walks away, every so often he turns back and is surprised by how much less horse there is each time. No head, no leg, no torso. The man ate the bones. 

By the time Chase is done, only some of the skin and metal shoes are left. But he was far from done.

The naga was lucky that some sheep seem to have gotten lost. Possibly from a nearby villa, the shepherd must have seen the fire and left in a hurry -leaving all these sheep behind. 

Jack observes the gore display as each sheep disappears in seconds. Chase’s hunger had returned with a vengeance and he couldn’t stop to chew. As soon as that sweet taste of iron hits his tongue, he swallows the sheep whole.

“For Cepheus and Cassiopeia, you are a monster!” Jack has to look away but the silence instead of the sounds of little sheep being devoured worries him that maybe he shouldn’t have said that. 

Chase waits until Jack is looking at him to bite into the side of a sheep, “what gave you the impression?” he asks as blood squirts on the floor.

“Ahh!” Jack turns again, he will never get used to it, “I know you are a monster but I forget.”

“You do?” Chase chuckles.

“Yeah. Your long tail, that’s where I sleep. I forget it’s pure muscle and a huge stomach,” Jack was wondering where all that meat was going.

“It’s more complex than that,” Chase takes another bite, “but it’s a good sleeping arrangement. You keep me warm and I keep you safe.”

“You have never cut me with those claws but I have seen, I mean, I’m seeing what they can do,” Jack points to a carcass on the floor.

“You are not food,” Chase picks another sheep with ease. Domesticated animals were such an easy meal. 

“And, you are so pretty, I forget that you are an apex predator,” Jack blushes. 

Chase stops and looks at Jack, “do you think I’m pretty?” 

He tries to laugh but he can’t. He was being serious.

Chase knows he is pretty. He is aware of his beauty and he takes great pride in it. The snake would use his beauty as an advantage when possible. But he isn’t delirious or a fool either. He knows he is covered in sweat, ash, and animals’ blood and guts. Chase has lost a lot of weight, fat and muscle weight, and he knows Jack adores his muscles. His hair is short and messy and his tail is not even a pretty color anymore.

“Yes!”

“Right now. I mean, am I pretty right now?”

“Yes, you are always beautiful. I mean, I’m happy you got your appetite back -as violent and gut turning, like I lost my appetite now. But yeah. You could use a shower though- our washing bowl!” Jack cries unaware of what his words mean to Chase.

“Your medicine!” Chase drops his food and looks back, almost considering going back but he is certain it’s burnt.

“It’s here!” Jack pulls it out of his pocket, “I carry all our valuables on me, in case that something like this happens.”

“Smart,” Chase sighs and returns to eating. He remembers that after this, once they reach the shore, they will part ways and Chase thinks they should slow down a bit. Jack disagrees, the shore is the safest place right now. Plus more people means a warmer venue. The air is warm right now, but when the fire dies the temperature will drop. 

They walk through the night, they feel the cool breeze of the sea in contrast with the warmth from the still-burning fire behind them.

A sliver of moonlight breaks through the smoke and Jack brings the knife to his chest. It doesn’t stop the pain he feels. Chase moves to put his hand on Jack’s back and lovingly massage small circles between his shoulder’s blades.

The naga looks around for shelter but there is nothing around so he tries using his own body. Jack sees long golden fabric sway around him. The elf blinks and pushes Chase away. 

“Jack?” The naga stays in place and Jack looks at the dozens of semi-transparent fabrics that are born from various places of the snake and human body, like scales in a dragon or feathers in a phoenix. They were all so beautiful and Jack knew they represented Chase’s connection to magic. But the fabric was ripped. No ripped, it was cut.

A few loose threads were fervently trying to connect to something. Jack walks closer and sees the longest of these fabrics. He is certain that it’s Chase's connection to the fire element. There were black threads stitched in random places, almost making a pattern that was interrupted. 

“I think I see your magic,” Jack narrows his eyes, “I think it might be healing but it looks like it's struggling.” 

“My magic?” Chase smiles and feels a sense of pride, then he considers what it means; what the knife does and what happened to him. It was all too much and the snake was so tired. He wanted to curl up with Jack and pretend that everything that happened and everything that was still happening was as terrible as it felt. Just one more time before he lost his dear traveling companion on the road, "is it beautiful?"  


“It is,” Jack smiles and he wishes he could feel a similar sense of pride. He feels the pain in his chest again. It was as if something was trying to rip his heart open. Then Jack saw a single thread, thin like a spider’s web, it connected to his chest, his heart. He follows the thread up to where it seems to disappear in the sky. 

“I see mine too.”

Chase gives Jack a soft smile, “is it beautiful?”

Jack wraps his fingers around the thread and he can feel a tug from one side, “it’s beautiful,” he sees the silver shine in the most delicate of ways, “but it doesn’t suit me.”

Chase moves closer, unsure of what is about to happen, “how so?” 

As he expected, Jack has broken down into tears, “I love her so much!” 

“Oh,” Chase felt Jack jump to him in a messy hug, “Jack, I’m covered in blood and ash.” 

“I don’t care!” Jack cries some more and they stay like that for a long time. 

Chase could see the ocean from here. It was far more terrifying than whatever he imagined. An endless desert of water. But worst of all, it indicates their separation. Not because they wish to be apart, but because Chase couldn’t follow Jack across the sea. 

Jack saw the light of the fire, burning high reminding him of a power he can only wish for. He wants to go back. Even if he was getting bored with their routine; he likes eating Chase’s food, listening to Naza sing, and working at his workshop. But most importantly, he doesn’t want to leave Chase’s arms.

“Jack,” Chase asks between the elf’s sobs, “are you going to be okay?”

Jack nods and pulls apart, “I just love her so much but she doesn’t suit me. We are not a good match.”

Chase stares into those sad red eyes and feels as if his heart is the one being ripped apart, “Jack, I’m so sorry.”

“Could you give me a minute?” Jack asks. Chase gives Jack a little squeeze and he leaves him. He moves past his hearing shot to give Jack as much privacy as he can.

Jack, who is blind in the dark, couldn’t see anything. He only knew of the fire behind him and the moon, somewhere, above.

“I don’t know how to do this,” Jack starts, “I don’t know if you care but I know I need to do this.”

The elf takes a deep breath, “I want to say it is not you, it’s me. But it’s you. I mean, it’s also me, but it’s mostly you,” Jack tries to laugh but he instead cries harder. He is a moon elf, a moon elf who can’t stand the moon. He looks up for just a sliver of silver. A glimpse of light. He wishes he could see her in her full glory one last time, but like many things in life, it’s not meant to be, “I love you so much, and I’m going to keep loving you forever. But you are hurting me,” Jack considers stopping there but there is so much he has to say, “when I’m with you I feel weak. You make me feel weak when I’m not.”

“Tonight is the hardest night of my life,” Jack blinks, realizing that this is the hardest thing he will ever have to do, “but I want to leave you tonight. Even though I love you,” Jack repeats so he knows he is being heard, “I just love myself more,” Jack lifts his knife and prepares to cut the silver thread. Jack stops to another incredible realization, “I love me like I wish you love me,” and with that, he cuts the thread. A clean-cut, Jack observes the line on his heart disappear as the other holds his connection to the moon. Now his magical connection with the moon has been severed. The elf looks up trying to find her, looking for the supernatural feeling that allows him to find her anywhere -but it wasn't there anymore. They are no longer connected, they are no longer lovers but they will never be strangers to another for the wounds they caused run deep. He considers tying the silver thread to another part of his body, one not as vital as his heart but it wouldn’t change the fact that he isn’t compatible with magic. 

So he does the second-best thing. He walks ahead into the darkness, and after two solid hours of walking, he finally finds Chase. The naga is slow to approach Jack.

“Hey,” Jack talks first.

“Hey,” Chase answers.

“I want to give you something,” Jack moves to one of the many fabrics that sprung from the naga’s body. He goes to the shortest one and puts his thread at the edge of it. He didn’t have to tie it. The two meshed together like they were one. They suit each other very well.

Chase could not see what Jack was doing but he knew what it meant.

Jack stares at the magic moving like it was trapped in a water current. He lowers the knife and feels nothing. No tug, no longing, or the presence of the moon. 

It was done and it will never be undone. 

“Jack,” Chase's voice was so cautious as if he thought that he could break Jack by talking too loud.

“Mm?” Jack turns. 

“I don’t know about love, but I’ll do my best to cherish her,” Chase cups Jack’s face, and the elf leans into the touch. He wants to joke about how he knows Chase hates the moon or how the naga thinks he can’t love when he holds Jack so tenderly, making even the worst night of his life a little more bearable. But he was too emotionally exhausted.

“Thank you,” was all Jack could bring himself to say. Chase lifts him, carrying him the rest of the way. 

Jack knows they will reach the seashore tomorrow afternoon or night where he will have to part from another great love. But not tonight, tonight he cries for the moon and he is thankful for Chase’s arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fanfic is like a long writing exercise to learn how to write and complete character arcs. The side characters having smaller arcs that will be complete later and Jack and Chase having the biggest arcs.  
> I have a hard time with Jack's cause I wanted to force him to sacrifice something he values for his own sake. Moreso, recognize that not all relationships are worth the trouble :0 I also wanted to have fun by making it sound like a breakup. But as someone who loves fantasy, I could barely imagine giving up magic. Still, I try hinting that this will happen since the second chapter so I hope it didn't come out of the blue XP  
> Thank you Fuck_Everything_9871 for always commenting. It makes me so happy to read your comments :)  
> and Lilith372, you are right. Jack's heart condition (which is a real-life condition) is not as severe but it's his magic problems that make it worse.   
> Also, no te preocupes acerca de estos dos. Van acabar juntos al final. Todo a su tiempo ;D


	16. Seabound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chase and Jack are found again by the Xiaolin hunters.

**Seabound**

Chapter 16

They didn’t make it to the seashore until nightfall the next day. 

The town was a mess. 

Chase stares at the clothes scattered on the floor -baskets of laundry left behind in a hurry. Unattend farm animals searching for shelter. He hears people moving around in a rush. They were lucky; the first person to see them was a friendly one. 

“Is Jack okay?!” A halfling-tiefling runs to them.

The naga was first taken back by her concern, then Chase recognized her.

“Vepar!” Chase instinctively moves back, but the halfling-tiefling continues to pursue them.

“Are you okay? Is Jack okay?” Vepar asks, sounding actually worried.

“Stay away!” Chase hisses, and a startled Vepar stays in place, “what are you doing here?”

“Ay, that’s not important right now. Are you okay, though? You are bleeding.”

Chase looks at himself. He is covered in animals’ blood.

“I’m fine. You know I don’t bleed out easily,” Chase glares, not bothering to correct her. He is surprised to see Vepar shrunk under his scrutiny.

“Yes, I’m sorry,” she looks down and then adds, “Young, do you know what is happening? Is it true that a war between the Crania Kingdom and the nagas has started?” 

Chase doesn’t usually outright lie to people, but he couldn’t tell Vepar that he was responsible for the colossal fire, “mm, we barely made it out.” 

Vepar nods and looks at the fire, “I don’t think the orchard will be able to recover by next year.”

Chase lifts a judgmental eyebrow, “They won’t be able to recover.” The naga emphasizes the last word.

“Sorry, you must think me a heartless woman,” Vepar covers her mouth in embarrassment.

“It’s not worse than what I already think of you,” Chase glares at her. 

“Vepar! Hurry,” a blond calls behind Vepar, “Mil is looking for you.”

“You three are traveling together,” it wasn’t a question, but Vepar still felt compelled to answer.

“Yeah; traveling with these two makes finding food and work so much easier. Plus, the road is a lonely place,” she notices that Jack reacts for the first time since the beginning of this conversation. Vepar thought Jack was asleep. The elf she remembers is a loud happy creature, but this man was a single sad note in a sad song. 

The elf opens his mouth but whatever he was going to say wasn’t strong enough to make it out of his throat. 

“We are leaving tomorrow morning -getting on a boat out of here before things get worse. But if you don’t have a place to stay, then you two can spend the night with us.”

“Why?” Chase tilts his head. They could use a place to stay the night, but there is nothing more suspicious to the naga than help without a price tag. 

“Because I still feel guilty,” Vepar answers honestly, as another creature who never learned to lie, “I aimed to kill you back there. It wasn’t on purpose,” she lifts her hands trying to explain the next part, “it was, um, well, it was a force of habit. But it was bad sportsmanship! You didn’t aim to kill me, and that’s why I survived. I noticed how you always aimed for my weapons or hands, never my head. I never properly thank you for sparing my life.”

Chase blinks, stunned. He didn’t aim to kill her back then because he was trying to stay on the public’s good side; he didn’t care for Vepar’s life. 

But that act has gained him a favor. This was a lesson Chase will think over in a less busy night. 

“Then, I’ll accept your thanks in the form of your hospitality.” 

Chase follows Vepar to a small shed that creaks when they go in. 

Two men watch them enter. Shocked and confused, they look at Vepar who simply smiles back at them. 

The place was humble to an extreme. The old wooden walls were bare, the only furniture was a single table with three neatly set backpacks, and a single candle illuminates the tiny room. Even Jack’s home back in the desert was more than this. No, even Chase’s nursery, which was a literal cave, had more furniture than this. 

“It isn’t much-” Vepar starts, suddenly aware of how little her home is when Chase occupies two-thirds of it.

“What the fuck are you doing here!” The blond human knight Chase fought a few months back at the tournament, whose name escapes Chase.

“Oi!” Vepar steps in front of the blond to keep him from meeting Chase.

Though the room was so small, Chase and the man were already pretty close. The naga looks to the other man. He watches him pretending to clean a knife. The third of their group was a tall, muscular black human man, and he has piercing brown eyes. Chase could feel he has magic he tries to hide.

“‘Oi’ Him!” the blond regains Chase’s attention, “This place is at capacity!”

Chase frowns. This man did give him a good fight -granted after Vepar weakened him, but he made an impression-

“Peed-pants loser,” Chase remembers and the room becomes quiet.

The blond’s face blushes a deep shade of red, and his companions cover their mouths to suppress laughter. But this is when Jack decides to be present again by bursting into laughter. 

The blond felt like his face was about to burst into flames, “Felix, my name is Felix. You -You overgrown noodle. And this is my home and you!” he points his finger at Chase and then at Jack who doesn’t stop laughing, “and you are not welcome!” he was out of breath after his dramatic announcement. 

Jack doesn’t seem affected by the sour mood of the room, and he giggles to himself.

“Felix,” Vepar puts her hand on his hip since she doesn’t reach much higher, “I invite them in, and you can’t kick them out. There is a fire, and the panic and they are hurt and in love and there is a thing out there that ate a whole flock of sheep!”

Chase tenses. Maybe he shouldn’t have eaten that flock of sheep. 

Felix looks at Chase with apathy, but he gives Jack a knowingly glance. Jack right now looks like life just left him, like a piece of him has been lost forever. There is something so helpless about the elf that you could sense it.

“There is a thing out there, and if it ate a whole flock, then it could even hurt you, big worm.”

Chase locks eyes with the third man. His expression was something in between ‘unbelievable-my-cohort-are-not-making-this-obvious-connection’ and ‘I-have-to-share-a-room-with-a-killer-snake.’

“Mil, I presume,” Felix referred to their third member by that name.

“Yes-”

“Mil is short for Hamilcar Niklāvs,” Felix explains, and Mil looks like he wants to punch Felix.

“A pretty name and an interesting last name,” the last name is familiar to Chase. 

Mil smiles like he wasn’t worried, “thank you. Chase Young and Jack- what an interesting name for a moon elf.”

“I’m not a moon elf.” 

Jack said, without looking at anyone. It was clear that no questions about it would be answered, so no one asked him to elaborate. 

The tense atmosphere was making everyone on edge. 

“Would you two like a bath?” Mil asks and Chase can’t help to perk up the possibility to clean himself.

“I would appreciate one,” Chase turns to look where the said bath is.

“It’s outside. I hope you two don’t mind,” Mil moves to the back door, “Felix, please go get water from the well, and Vepar set a fire for the bath.”

“Mil, I can’t waste all that water-”

“I know, but tomorrow we will be leaving, so there is no point in saving it either, and I want our guests to feel welcome.”

Mil steps outside, and Chase follows, as promised, there was a huge metal tub outside -big enough to fit Chase.

The snake tilts his head curiously.

“It was used to make cheese,” Mil explains. Vepar runs after them and sets the fire under the metal pot, “but after Felix left his family dairy farm to become a knight, there is no use for it. We cleaned it up and have a nice dip during summer days.” 

“Sounds nice,” Chase muses as they move past the pot/tub, “Vepar is nice, too. Oddly nice for an assassin.”

Mil turns to see if Vepar heard Chase’s comment but they are now out of her earshot. 

“She retired and is on the path for a most honest life,” Mil doesn’t stop until they are under a tall majestic tree with a hefty green foliage and dainty white flowers, “don’t mention it. She is sensitive about it.”

“A more honest life as a criminal?” Chase muses and looks down at Jack, who has been mentally absent for a while now.

“Yes. It might not be a good or morally righteous life but it’s honest at its core. And that is more than I can say of you, imposter.” 

“Mm, and I was under the impression that you were truly trying to be a good host,” Chase sizes the man up. The naga was still tired from fighting Kimiko and traveling non-stop, but he should be able to kill Mil quickly enough. 

“I am, please, don’t think otherwise. I just have a few questions,” Mil moves to pull a big fur that was drying on one of the tree branches and sets it on the floor. Chase supposes that they will sleep outside -better than inside the crowded shed, “and I would like you to be honest with me. But nothing is stopping you from lying. Just as we both know that you could easily take over our humble state.” 

“Then why don’t I?” Chase snorts at the guts in this man. Of course, Chase could, but he is tired. Mill could be gleefully ignorant like the rest of his cohort or pretend not to understand the beast they had let in, instead Mil has to pull Chase to a corner so they can have a talk. Chase started getting tired of being treated as he was just a common monster instead of the mighty creature he is. 

“Oh,” Mil glances at Jack for a second. He makes sure to look only long enough for Chase to understand, and then he opens his stand to show he means no harm, “I don’t think you want to put the effort. Humoring me is easier.” 

It was the worst sort of threat; the type that preys on someone else’s safety. 

Chase has never felt his sort of threat. No one ever bothered trying to intimidate him using someone he loves because Chase has never had anyone he cared enough. 

The man in front of him was polite, and he offered him a comfortable stay for a few questions like Eka did. But Eka was straightforward; Mil has an underhandedness to his methods. Eka was powerful beyond his comprehension. Mil is a runaway noble who has found a group of unlikely companions from who he leach on. 

Mil was a child, barely old enough to know what danger means and definitely too young to understand who he was threatening. 

“What do you want to know?” Chase growls. He can’t afford to fight them. Not right now. Vepar and Felix are formidable fighters, and Mil has magic. The naga could win against them -and if he couldn’t, he had no reserves when it came to dying in a fight. It’s the law of the old world.  **But** he isn’t sure Jack is in a state of mind to look after himself, much less fight. If he chooses to fight, then something on Jack might finally break. 

“Thank you,” Mil bows, deep and rehearsed, “you caused the fire and ate the flock.”

“Those are statements. Correct ones, but not a question,” Chase glares. He feels an odd combination of angry, exhausted, and itching to punch Mil on his pretty face. 

“You came from the desert, and your name is  _ Chase Young _ ?” 

Chase blinks, “Yes. These are not very good questions, not worth the suspense.”

They paused. Mil didn’t expect Chase to agree, and Chase was expecting an actual question.

Both felt a confusing type of excitement. 

“Then do you claim to be the naga king?” Mil’s composed expression changes.

There is a much longer pause. Mil carefully looks at the naga, who looks so alike and nothing like the naga king he grew up hearing about. Chase takes a moment to consider how long the people of Echodour kept him on their minds. Even after nearly one thousand years, they still recognized him. Descendants of their descendants don’t only hold Chase’s memory in high regard but are willing to confront those taking advantage of it. 

“You must be from Echodour,” Chase nods, and immediately Mil drops to one knee. 

“Forgive me for my insolence,” Mil makes sure to keep his eyes down, “I thought you were a legend. I thought you were dead.”

“Oh,” Chase was taken back. It has been a long time since he was treated like this. It was less than a year and centuries ago at the same time. The naga should feel happy that he was being recognized and treated like the king he always thought of himself, but he didn’t. He felt exhausted and done and awkward “rise. I was never dead, I was simply sleeping -NO!” Chase stops himself from making light of his imprisonment, “I was forced into a slumber for nearly a millennium.”

Mil raises his head and he is amazed. The crescent moon shines behind Chase like a crown. The naga’s thick black hair was a messy cascade down his shoulders, blood spills from his mouth down to his broad chest, and a tragically beautiful elf rests on his arms. From where Mil kneels, Chase looks like a saint. 

“I thought you were an impostor when I first heard your name at the tournament. Or a large lamia taking a name too big for another man to hold,” Mil learned to read with stories of Chase Young, the naga king who built the powerful kingdom of Echodour in a decade. The naga was a fairytale character come to life.

“None of these are questions, Mil,” Chase didn’t want to look at those brown eyes, eager and happy. He wanted the petulant, young and a bit intimidating man to return. They remind him of many things he doesn’t want to think about until this whole chapter of his life is over. 

“I have but one question, now that you have returned, what are you set to do?” Mil looks at the naga shift from a tired man to a decided one in a second.

“I’m going to kill my enemies and retake my place as king. And, Mil, If I have to burn the world to get there, then I’ll pave my path with blood and ash.” 

Chase looks with an uncanny disinterest to the pretty man who gawks at him before turning to leave. 

He makes his way to the tub. Felix finished filling up the large pot and Vepar added another log to the fire before leaving. 

Chase carefully undresses Jack, who barely acknowledges him. He climbs the side of the tube and then he drops inside. Water splashes out, and he trembles against the cold. He presses his tail against the warm metal, but Jack doesn’t even flinch. 

The elf has always been more resistant to the cold than Chase, but this was too much. 

“Jack?” Chase calls, but the elf’s gaze remains unfocus and lost. 

Chase doesn’t try again. He washes and then Jack. After both are clean, the water is warmer and Chase chooses to stay in for a little longer. He watches over Jack who stares blankly at the ripples in the water. The naga massages small circles on Jack’s back but doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t know what he could say. Jack has done the unthinkable. The elf severed his connection with the moon. He can grieve for as long as he needs to. 

Jack didn’t know what to be. 

The elf stares at the reflection of the moon on the water as he cries effortlessly for her. He couldn’t form a full thought. Did he regret it? Did she understand? What would happen now? Could he ever go back to Gibbous? Would his parents recognize him? So many questions filling Jack’s head that he couldn’t step out of his own mind to register what was happening. 

Everything was moving a thousand miles a minute while Jack was frozen in time. 

“Why did I do it?” Jack asks himself, and Chase decides it is time to get out of the pool. 

The naga makes a fire pit with rocks and the flaming wood Vepar used for their bath. Jack lays naked on the fur, watching the fire burn until Chase tells him to dress. 

“Jack,” Chase takes the knife from Jack’s clothes, “are you gonna be okay?” 

“Mm,” Jack puts on his dirty clothes, “yes. I’ll stick to those three even if they don’t like me. And I’m going back home.”

Chase felt like something was very wrong, “no, you said you will go find a doctor -that’s why you are taking a boat!”

“There are doctors in my clan. Now that I know the name of what I have, I can tell them, and they can fix me,” Jack lays down and looks up to the moon, “maybe they can fix me.”

“...Jack, you are not thinking clearly. You are obviously in shock-”

“Have you ever felt like this?” Jack’s eyes were red and puffy, and Chase felt breathless.

He didn’t know what to say or what to do “once. When I first woke up. I felt as if the world had left me behind.”

Jack blinks. He didn’t expect Chase to answer, “you got over it fast.”

“No, I didn’t. I just kept moving,” Chase lays next to Jack. Sometimes he still feels like that, “that’s why I keep insisting you came with me. I was too scared to go on my own. I was too ashamed to be seen. I was terrified of falling asleep, Jack,” Chase couldn’t believe he was admitting he felt fear, but if it would somehow make Jack feel better, then he will do it without regard to his pride. 

The elf opens his mouth, but he is pulled before he could say anything. Chase pulls him into a tight hug and wraps his tail around them. When Chase asked him to come with him, Jack remembers he had been so uncertain back then. 

Neither thought they would be able to sleep. They wanted to talk before tomorrow, when Vepar, Felix, and Mil leave. Jack will follow them to the port, and Chase will continue his route on land. But they were so tired they fell asleep immediately.

_ Jack dreams he was sitting on the desert floor watching the night sky. The moon was gone and she will never return. She will never call for him again. The elf in the dream thought he would wait forever for her. But a figure in the distance calls his attention. Jack’s heart rises when he sees Chase’s shape. He stands to call for him but - _

_ The naga was moving away from Jack. He was going to leave the desert without Jack. The elf felt like he was going to drown in his tears. He pities himself for forcing himself to endure such a cruel fate, waiting for a lover who has already left him. He asked himself how far he is willing to go for someone who doesn’t even love him right?  _

_ Jack remembers when Chase told him to take everything, even his safety coins, and cross the desert with him. The naga told him to risk everything and believe they will cross the desert, so he wouldn’t have to travel alone. Now he knows that Chase was battling his own issues, yet the naga was so convincing. So charming.  _

Jack woke up to Chase, shaking him. The elf looks around, disoriented, to find a happy naga smiling over him. Chase moves, and Jack sits up. The sun was up, and it has been up for a few hours now. The air still smells like smoke and burnt leather, and the sky was a grey sort of blue. 

“Jack look!” Chase points up to the tree. 

Jack noticed the tree. It was huge and lush with bright green leaves and fragrant white flowers. The tiniest green balls hang from a few branches, and on the very top a yellow orange. 

An orange was fruit they hadn’t tasted in months. It was a treat you don’t get to enjoy on the open sea. An orange was to Jack sugar.

“It looks ripe!” Jack smiles, temporarily forgetting about his many woes and trying to climb the tree. 

Chase picks up Jack and climbs as high as he can without damaging the tree, and Jack steps on Chase’s shoulders to reach the yellow sweet with the tips of his fingers. 

“Got it!” Jack exclaims victorious and immediately begins peeling the orange.

“Hey!” Chase hisses, and Jack laughs at him.

“It’s a cruel world when you can’t trust even those clo-” Jack couldn’t finish his theatrical interpretation of betrayal because Chase was shaking the branch Jack was on. 

The elf falls, screaming, but Chase catches him. He makes his move for the orange as Jack stretches his arm out of reach. Somehow, they end up on the floor wrestling for the fruit.

Chase takes hold of the now half-peeled orange and Jack holds his arm and launches to bite the fruit. The smell pauses life. The taste is more sour than sweet, but Jack wouldn’t change it. Chase laughs as drops of juice run down his forearm and sees Jack’s mischievous smile reappear. It was like breathing again.

They share the rest of the fruit and a gleeful moment. But when the fruit is gone, life continues.

Vepar opens the door to tell them that they will be leaving now. Mil invites Jack to travel with them. They will be boarding The Lady today. He looks at Chase in a way that he hopes it explains that he will look after the elf for the naga.

Chase didn’t particularly like that. He believed that Jack can take care of himself, but he does feel better thinking that the elf will have an ally.

The two men look at each other as the realization finally settles; this is it.

Chase cups Jack’s chin, and he wonders if they will see each other again. 

Jack smiles at him, a sweet devilish smile Chase has grown to love.

“Come with me,” Jack says and it takes Chase a second to understand what he means.

“To the sea?” Chase chuckles, but Jack is serious.

“Across the sea,” Jack puts his hand over Chase’s and gives it a little squeeze, “yes is dangerous and outright stupid. But I have crossed the sea already. I want you to believe we will cross it.”

“I see what you are trying to do,” Chase smiles, remembering when he convinced Jack to cross the desert, but he remains set on his decision.

“Chase, risk everything - bet everything on me,” Jack’s red eyes hold more fire than the sun, “I’ll take you across the sea.”

“You want me to risk my life in a voyage,” Chase thinks of his next words, “because you don’t want to travel alone?” 

“Yes,” his smile was sad, but it was Jack’s, “I like traveling with you, and I’m not ready to let you go.”

It was as simple as that.

Chase was always surprised by how Jack could say those thighs and mean them. How such simple feelings held so much emotion. 

“Okay,” the naga says against his better judgment.

Jack opens his mouth, but he closes right after. He was worried that Chase might change his mind if he gave him the opportunity. So he runs. 

Chase lets himself be dragged after Jack. The elf hurries to meet the trio, and then he hurries them to show them the boat. 

The trio didn’t have time to ask or plan. Jack had temporarily become their leader, and he rushed them to move. 

  
  


They run through the empty streets of the seashore villa all the way to the busy port. People were scared of the fire and with the orchard done, many had lost their livelihoods. Everyone decided to leave, and boats were now overbooked. 

The Lady, a large and sturdy vessel, was an exception to this. By rule, everyone who boards will be an honorary crew member, so you could only come onboard if you have a valuable talent. 

Chase tries not to think once they make it to the port. He sees water between the planks and feels nervous. He isn’t worried that the old port would give in under the weight, but that this is how he will live until they cross the sea. The sea was a million times larger and deeper than the lake Chase grew up next to. It was laughable that the biggest body of water Chase has compared to the sea was a lake. He sees a group of people cluster together, they were pale beyond the depravities of winter. While they were all of different ages, sex, and races, they all wore the same pattern and color. The cerulean blue and a fan stitch that gives the appearance of scales, they were wearing blue scales. Chase feels an emotion he will later identify as guilty as he realizes that Beatel sent his harem away. He looks past the ships, and he can get lost on the blue horizon. 

They are put on a line as a few people ask prospective passengers questions.

Vepar was a remarkable climber and could easily go up and down a post. 

Felix has a decade of experience as a sailor and could do nearly any job onboard.

Mil knew how to read the stars, and he is a wind-mage.

Jack has experience as a sailor and can do any sort of metal work needed for the boat -including canon clean-up.

Chase. 

Chase was 12,000 pounds of dead weight. 

The gatekeeper looks at Chase and frowns, “You are telling me that you don’t want to be on board?”

“No, I would like a job away from water.”

“Sir, this is a boat. Everything is near the water.”

Chase didn’t know what sort of jobs you do in a boat.

“I can cook…. And clean,” the snake didn’t want a job outside the cabinets. 

A man wearing a luscious vest too warm for the weather looks at Chase and his massive build, “you think we are gonna put you in the kitchen? You don’t fit in the kitchen.” 

“Oi, Pollito,” Vepar calls, “this is the best fighter in this whole side of the continent. I would know, I lost to him.” 

The man considers this piece of information, “I would prefer if there were no fights on The Lady.”

“He is a strategist, has experience managing rouge groups,” Mil adds.

Pollito glares at them, “so, my job. He wants my job?”

“Listen, this jerk is the toughest, most brutal asshole I have ever had the displeasure to lose-”

“This is the man who made you peed your pants in the arena,” Pollito asks, and Felix blushes, “oh, the crew has been dying to hear that story!”

He turns to Chase, “listen, pretty eyes, you get on that ship, and you will be put to work on the deck. You will be near water every day and every night for five months. If you don’t like it, now is when you turn around. Because after, after, the only way out is swimming, and I’ll take a wild guess and say you are not the swimming kind of snake.”

“There is no such thing as swimming snakes,” Chase hisses and climbs the loose plank onboard. When he makes it on the boat, the whole ship lightly swings back and forth. 

Jack jumps to hug Chase, who was looking around him with a wild expression.

It was too late to back away. 

Chase and Jack were shoved in a cabinet that they will have to share with more people. Vepar, Felix, and Mil became their roommates in a space even smaller than their shed. The trio left to help prepare for departure, while Chase and Jack stayed in the cabinet. 

In the dark, moist discomfort of their cabinet, the naga was overly aware of every little movement in the ship. He hears the steps around them and the crashing of waves against the side of the boat. 

“I don’t think I have ever seen you more agitated,” Jack muses, feeling guilty.

“Well, I was forced to stay indoors in a tiny room for nearly three months with my only outing time limited to two-hour walks in the last two weeks. Then, once the weather was finally warming up I engaged in a fight that left me worse to wear than I would like to admit. Now, I’m set to be trapped in this ship for five months,” Chase looks at Jack, who hangs his head in shame, “I’m rightfully agitated. Jack.”

“I’m sorry,” Jack was surprised to feel his face lightly pull up by Chase’s careful touch.

“Don’t be. You made every aspect of those infernal three months better. You didn’t invite Kimiko Tohomiko to fight me. And while you asked me to come, I came because I chose to.”

“Yeah?” Jack presses his face against Chase’s hand.

Chase could tell Jack that traveling by boat was a faster route, that he needs to put more distance between him and the monks or that this will help him avoid the next attack. But all those reasons felt secondary. Chase Young came when Jack asked him because he also likes traveling with Jack and is not ready to let him go.

Everything might be complicated, but what he feels for Jack is simple. 

“Yeah. Now, tell me everything I need to know to survive this place.”

Jack goes into detail, but soon they realize that Jack’s experiences do not apply to Chase.

Chase, unlike Jack, can work under the sun without repercussions. He can lift heavy objects and see in the dark. But he can’t fix a canon or sharpen swords with a stone and a wet sponge. 

Jack describes sailors as a tough crowd, they require constant entertainment and are awfully touchy. However, Jack will be out of their reach for most of the trip. 

The elf asked to be allowed to work at night and rest in the morning. Usually, Jack is forced to work under the sun since he has to away from the moon, but not anymore. Funny how the lack of a problem didn’t make him feel better. 

Chase would be working during the morning, meaning they would be apart all day. 

They wordlessly worry about how little they will interact with their opposite schedules, but there is little time to ponder on it.

Chase is called up to work. 

Someone pounds on their door while calling for ‘massive snake, come up!’ 

Chase takes a deep breath and leaves. He climbs the steps to reach the busy deck where people are moving things under and securing barrels. The sky ahead is bluer than Chase has ever seen, the sea a deep vibrant blue and the air smells of salt. The naga turns to see land becoming smaller the further away they move. 

“You better know to use that weight!” Pollito calls Chase to hold a rope behind a line of sailors, “Hold this. Pull when I said pull. Let go -let go Slowly, when I said let go. Any questions? Can you all do that? Or I have to explain it again?!” Pollito waits until each member nods and then he walks away screaming to another group with a booming voice.

“Pull the post! Vepar, get ready to lose that rope. Everyone!” Pollito turns to count his crew, “we are opening the mainsail so watch your head! Now,” the man turns to Chase’s group, “Let go.”

The men do and the rope nearly flies off their hands. The wind pulls the sail and the sail pulls the rope with enough strength to lift the first man in the line up in the air.

“SLOWLY!” Pollito runs to help them pull the rope but he stops when he notices the rope didn’t move past Chase. The naga was engaged in a tug-of-war against the win and he didn’t want to give in.

Pollito gawks as the men step away telling Chase to slowly lower the mainsail. Then the wind picks up and Chase groans as the rope burns his hands with fiction. 

“Turn!” Pollito screams at the captain steering the boat, she flashes an awfully cocky smile at him, “Mama Turn! -Shit,” he jumps to help Chase as the naga is literally pulled by the rope forwards. An array of emotions rushed through Chase as men jumped over him to increase his weight. He felt scared that he might be pulled overboard, excited to be using so much strength after months of being sedentary. Chase was a physical creature and he enjoys a challenge and this one was like any Chase has ever encountered. A tug-of-war against the wind. 

He smiles, flashing those dangerous fangs, secures his tail on a post and slowly lets the rope go. He moves his right hand behind the left and lets that small distance go before repeating the process. 

Pollito was impressed and smiled more than satisfied. 

“We keep moving, Vepars stay there!” The halfling was plaster against the post to avoid being blown over by the wind, “You two secure the door! Chase, lower this sail.”

It was only fifteen minutes of work, but it felt like hours. 

Once the sail was lower, and Vepar released the last lock. The post swings to the side, people dock, the wind pushes on the fabric, and then the boat moves faster.

Chase and the men regain their strength on the floor.

“Rest for a few minutes, but after I want you lot to start preparing the nets for fishing. I’m going to have a word with our captain.”

The men congratulated Chase on his brute strength and happily showed him around -after all, you don’t want to be enemies with the strongest guy in the ship. 

Chase was busy working the rest of the day to worry about falling overboard. He still backs away from the rails and remains with the end of his tail near a post to cling to if needed. 

He tries to leave for the night after the sunset, but the man invites him to drink. The naga wanted to decline and leave, but he didn’t want to antagonize the sailors, after all he really can’t afford to be thrown out. He shares a cup of wine and listens to some of their tales but leaves right after.

When he made it back to the cabinet, Jack was deeply asleep. The naga drops next to Jack and the elf is startled awake, he turns to cuddle with Chase, resting his head on Chase’s stomach. That moment of bliss didn’t last as a voice Chase already grew used to screams for Jack. 

“Elf, night shift starts now! Up, Up!” 

Jack whines. Sleeping alone in a dark room was what he wanted to do until his long or short life comes to its end.

“See you at sunrise,” Jack says and it hits him how little they are gonna see of each other. He wonders if it was worth asking Chase to come on this trip. He knew it was selfish to ask the naga to risk his life so he can keep Jack company, but maybe it wasn’t even a practical decision. 

The elf goes to answer the door and follows Pollito. 

The man puts Jack to clean and sharpen kitchen knives. After he will do scissors, then swords and daggers. If he has time that night he should clean the rust out of the hooks and re-shape the fishing rods. Also, since Jack mentions he can do woodwork, he will be tasked with reinforcing the reeling. 

Pollito lets Jack know that he doesn’t expect him to finish tonight, but he knows how long each task should take so he better don’t slack off. But it was hard to care about such an empty thread when Jack felt so sad. He looks up at the moon and tries to find comfort in her company. 

“Thank you for being so understanding,” Jack sighs and Pollito turns to look at the man. 

“I have never had a connection to magic, but I understand this must be hard. Plus, you are still a wanted man -changing your name doesn’t clean your slate. But I’ll look the other way, I won’t tell the captain but Jack, I need you to stay out of sight and work hard,” he hands Jack a knife, “your hair. You are too recognizable as it is.” 

The Lady was the same ship Jack took when he was running away to the desert, and, ironically, it is the one he is taking to return now. Pollito had been a child then. He aged slowly like a selkie usually does, but he has kept his childhood nickname. 

Jack moves over the edge of the boat and starts cutting his hair. Pollito watches the red strands disappear into the water. Once it is over, Jack asks to be left alone, then he gets to work.

Jack’s work is detail-oriented, repetitive, and tiresome, but it helps the elf think. Metalwork, from blacksmith to cleaning up rust, has always calmed Jack. It was a moment of peace, a moment to heal. 

The night was worked away, and the elf was surprised to see the sunrise coming from the west. The moon and stars were wiped away from the sky as oranges and pinks painted the sea. A blinding light beautiful enough to pause the universe shines upon the ship, the only thing in miles of water. But life didn’t stop or slow down, the sun continues to rise, and consequences to our actions will continue to apply. Jack finds himself crying yet again.

“It has to be too early for your nonsense,” Chase sighs behind Jack holding two metal cups.

“Uh?” Jack blinks, surprised to see Chase, and more so, a warm cup of tea placed between his hands.

“Your medicine,” Chase is more careful at giving Jack his little leather pouch, “you skip a few days.”

“Are my tears the nonsense?” Jack chuckles at Chase’s obvious discomfort and mixes his medication on his tea “or emotions overall.”

“Your hair. That’s the nonsense. It looks like you took a knife and cut it in a dark room. But also Emotions. I really could use a day without emotions,” Chase stretches his shoulders and puts his cup down. He will start his daily exercises. 

“That is about what happened -to my hair. And, me too,” Jack sighs and looks at the graceful movements of the snake. He looks at the concentration between Chase’s brows as the naga counts his breaths and welcomes the touch of the sun, “I was just thinking how pretty it is here.”

“The ocean?” Chase would never call the ocean pretty, “is just water. So much water.” 

Jack laughs, “no, the sun.”

“Yes,” Chase agrees with pride and continues his exercises. 

Jack leaves before more people start coming out, and Chase starts his work.

  
  


Soon, like everything in life, they set a routine. 

They set their meeting time to be the sunset and sunrise. The rest of the day and night are spent separate from each other.

After the sunrise, Jack will leave to rest, and Chase will start a day of work. 

He got surprisingly well with the sailors. They were a tough crowd who enjoyed tales of adventure and wrestling. Chase likes fighting four or five at once, of course with a lookout for Pollito who will dock their pay of the day if he finds them fighting. Chase was new to life on the sea, and he likes learning from his coworkers. They will show him how to fish and bring him every eel they find. It was a joke by the crew and amusement to all—Chase’s repulsion to eels as abominations of all snake kinds for choosing to live on the sea. The naga came to understand that he likes a group of people. He liked having an army but there was no comradery, just a job. He liked wrestling Beatel and talking to Eka. And he adores spending time with Jack. He has even found a conversational partner in Vepar of all people. Against everything Chase has been thought of as a naga he has to conclude that he was a social creature. The revelation would take months if not years to truly sink in. 

Vepar and Chase could talk for hours about weapons and strategies. He learned that the halfling was once a top-notch assassin employed by powerful people. She knew how to make nearly everything a weapon and had a particular view of the world; she believes she will lose any fair fight, but when your goal is to kill someone you don’t need to fight fair. Vepar never learned how to win or play fair, she only knew how to kill in the most simplistic and raw meaning of the word. Chase found it remarkable that she has found the field she excels in and has chosen to move away from it -odd in an amusing sort of way. 

On the other hand, Vepar could barely believe Chase. He was so talented and gifted in so many different areas. The man was a scholar, a magician, an artist and a fighter but he insisted in continuing to chase a goal that has caused him nothing but pain.

Both were very different creatures with opposite upbringing, they share many common values. Both consider themselves creatures of the old world. 

Chase will talk to her, as Vepar hangs from a rope, and retell his many fights. Vepar will share all her little tips when fighting an enemy bigger than her -while not particularly useful it was an entertaining conversation. 

Because Chase consumed a large meal before boarding, he has to concentrate on building muscle as he regains weight -if he wants to keep his figure. So he asks to do the heavy lifting which was agreeable with everyone. Chase is a good worker, a fast learner and a natural leader who makes Pollito’s job easier. He is also smart enough to be respectful to Mama, their odd but brilliant captain. 

He makes sure to stay after a day of work to talk and enjoy the boats’ crew’s company. Chase likes listening to stories, though he tells the sailors that Jack is a much better storyteller than them. He also is the undefeated champion with his tale of the tournament at Grammy’s inn. It was a pinch of romance with an overly eager manager, tension with Vepar, Felix and Mil conspiring to win the tournament, action with Vepar’s fight and comedy with Felix peeing his pants (at Felix’s displeasure, the story was in high demand). He drinks a single cup of wine and Pollito has to find another way to pay him. Since he pays his workers with food, wine and other trinkets to keep up morale. Chase agreed to be paid with cream to care for his skin after weeks of working under the sun. The naga’s stuck-up attitude and taste for finer things were a quirk the crew accepted. It helps that Chase was undeniably pretty. He keeps his black hair neatly braided, his skin clean, faded scars decorated his every curve, every week the man’s body becomes more sculptured with hard-earned muscles, his face shaved and soft looking, his black scales shine under the sun and his golden eyes challenge everyone who looks at them. 

But Chase never stays past one drink. He retires to bed right after and no one can convince him to stay.

Chase arrives at his cabinet, clean and smelling with the soft fragrance of tea and creams. After a few weeks on board Jack has taken to reorganize the room. Jack sleeps naked to avoid dirtying his clothes any more than need it. Water is a commodity at sea, similarly to the desert, and he can’t afford to wash his clothes. Chase slips between the covers enjoying the warmth and the elf shivers at his touch. Jack whines and presses his face against Chase, happy against any body part he ends against. They talk a little while Jack slowly wakes up and climbs over Chase until he is on the belly of the snake. Chase leathers his hands with some cream to treat Jack’s skin. The first night Jack returned from his work, he quietly rubbed his sore fingers. The elf had been then a shadow of his former self. He was quiet and reserved, his manners and voice so tame they bordered on polite. After a few weeks, the elf seems to return to his old self, but only during instances, flashes that never last long enough. 

At times Chase recognized Jack as a pretty face more than his friend. It didn’t help that Jack’s skin gained a glow Chase has never seen in the last few weeks. The elf has delicately white skin like a snow lily, and he looks like a marble statue, too pretty to not be purposely carved out of desire. 

Every night Chase crawls into the bed, and Jack wakes up. He sits up, his tights stretched open with Chase’s soft belly scales under him. More often than not, he is erect from just waking up but too sleepy and shameless to do anything about it besides exposing himself as he was the main attraction at a show. Jack relaxes and rests his hands on Chase’s chest. The naga passes his hands over the edges of Jack’s naked figure. He tries to concentrate on caring for his friend and not enjoying the opportunistic touch too much. Chase offered the elf cream the first day he obtained it, but the elf didn’t have the energy to apply it. The snake had carefully massaged Jack’s hands then. Now that Jack seems to do better, Chase doesn’t ask; he simply carries along with his last task of the day. Jack massages his hands, which are his primary tool of work. While he enjoys the small circles Chase draws on his hips like a cat enjoys a sunbeam. 

Always sooner than later, Vepar or Felix, never Mil, come to rest, and Jack hurries to get dressed and leave. After they apologize to Chase, he will try to half-heartedly explain that it wasn’t what it looks like. 

Jack will sneak around until everyone is gone and get to work. The first night on the ship, he felt like a stranger in someone else’s house. Which was funny since he has been a stranger at people’s houses so many times. Plus, he knew The Lady. He traveled with her for 8 months. Really, it was the only lady Jack has gotten that familiar with. The crew was different, some new faces and some familiar faces that have aged beyond recognition.  _ Whatever _ Jack doesn’t have to interact with them. But then again, Jack was familiar with strangers. He tells them jokes and plays the role of a fool. The elf works for them and tricks them, and it never ends well. Nothing is new, yet Jack felt awkward and anxious in a way that only happens when you are in a new situation. 

The ship rocks, and the ocean sings that song that can never be put into words. Jack felt lonely, awake as everyone sleeps. It reminds him of all those years he was forced to live in the morning while the rest of his clan live at night. The elf looks up to the moon. 

Jack first glances, not used to being able to look at her for long. He busies himself with work. He sharpened most of the tools on his list in the first week, impressing Pollito. The second week was slower. While Chase had a crew of people to spend time with, Jack had himself. And the moon. She moves through the sky, dancing with the sea, and following Jack as he works the night away. He makes plans to reinforce the reeling. Pollito comes every other night at a random hour to check on his night crew. If time allows it, he and Jack will talk for a bit. Pollito, a man born and raised at sea, loves to hear about Jack’s misadventures. After three weeks, Jack has gotten himself used to a rhythm.

Aid by a candle, Jack notes how many planks he will need to fix the reeling. He does most of his work alone, but he rarely feels alone. He always sees the moon or her reflection on the sea following him. Hovering close, but not too close to suffocating Jack. Allowing space the elf didn’t know he needed. The moon, patiently and quietly, waits until Jack can spare a moment of his attention instead of yanking a chain tied to his heart. After a few hours, Jack will sit by the forecast deck, or if he was feeling stupidly brave, he would climb the bowsprit. Usually, the captain will notice him, but she didn’t care to look hard enough to recognize him. Then he will take off his boots, swing his feet over the side and eat while feeling the eventual splash of cold water. Jack was blind in low light, so the sea at night was a black blanket that merged with the horizon, even the stars would be lost in his eyes. The light of the moon was the only thing he could actually see in those nights. 

Those nights, Jack would joke with himself. He would work on his materials as a storyteller, think of ways to better the ship and the work it would have to be behind them. He will go to Pollito’s cabin and slide his report under the door. 

Then he will return to the deck on the other side of the boat. Sometimes Chase will already be there heating up tea with magic, and other times Jack will have to wait, but they will always meet at the sunrise. In the beginning, Jack didn’t talk much or at all. Chase would talk about tea. The man explained how water meant for tea isn’t supposed to boil quickly but slowly to allow the water to uptake the heat. Or you will have a hot cup that loses its temperature quickly. It was much about nothing that the naga would partially admit to being passionate about. Jack will take his medicine and watch Chase during his morning exercise. They did this week after week. Jack confesses he is a wanted man, and Chase happily receives the news. 

“I’m happy I’m not the only one who might bring bounty hunters after us.”

“I’m sure they had forgotten about me by now… or not,”

“What did you do?”

This a gateway to a conversation. Small anecdotes that turned into stories. Jack’s stories always made Chase laugh, and something in Chase’s laugh made Jack happier.

In the fourth week, Jack started joining Chase’s morning exercise. It wasn’t just exercise. Every morning Chase meditates, exercises, and works in strengthening his connection to his magic. Jack admires the discipline the man has shown since he woke up from the desert. 

Chase told him self-discipline is about control. As the world descends into chaos, you will always have control over yourself. 

Jack believes self-discipline is about passion. As long as you love something enough to work for it, you will understand an aspect of the world. 

Jack wants to prepare his body for dancing again, and Chase would bother him about his balance until their time was up. 

After the sunrise, Jack will leave to rest, and Chase will start a day of work. Again.

The pair try to remain closed even though their limited interactions seem to be getting more intense with each passing week. 

But weeks just keep running like they were rushing somewhere.

Weeks turned into months.

And after three long months at sea, land was first sighted.

Chase was beyond himself, and no one had the heart to tell him they would not go to that land until after hours of celebration. 

They referred to it as toxic—a land where a battle so gruesome was fought that it poisoned the land centuries after.

Chase wasn’t a superstitious man, but sailors are. Still, the sighting of the island means they are on their way to the mainland. The naga was not satisfied. The crew convinced their boss, the first mate Pollito, to allow them to celebrate the sighting of land -they hoped this would cheer up Chase, but really it was an excuse to party. Pollito agreed since they were moving ahead of schedule.

The party started by sundown, and it was the same as every night except people were drunk-er and someone was playing a guitar. 

Chase leans on the reeling and watches the land from afar. The light of the full moon seems to pave a silver path to the beach. The naga sighs, thinking of land, of sand under his scales.

“Careful sailor,” Jack calls from behind him. The elf was wearing an old robe to hide his identity, “you wouldn’t want to fall.”

“The railing has been reinforced,” Chase moves back and lets Jack take his spot on the railing.

“Amazing woodwork!” Jack caresses the wood.

“Mm, it would use a good sanding-”

“You try sanding the outside of a boat in the dark!” Jack turns to defend his work so quickly Chase actually registers him as a threat for a second, then he laughs.

“Are you picking a fight?” Chase moves closer, too close for comfort. But just close enough for Jack.

“You wish. I heard you challenged every member of this boat. You are gonna get yourself in trouble with Pollito,” Jack doesn’t step back as the snake turns to surround him with his tale. 

“I would love to see him try,” Chase chuckles and moves behind Jack. He lightly touches Jack’s shoulder while he draws circles around the elf. Similar to a snake cornering a prey.

“He complains about you, you know?” Jack turns to keep facing Chase and nearly falls when struck by how little space the naga has left him to move. He didn’t even notice when Chase did that.

“I’m the best here at everything,” Chase frowns.

“He says you are getting harder to manage, and you are picking fights -as playful as they are. You are a 40 feet snake,” Jack leans in, without any other option, “are you getting restless?”

“I was never meant to be managed,” Chase puts an arm around Jack and can feel the elf’s smile next to his cheek. He didn’t comment on the second question. Of course, Chase was restless. Everyone was restless. The crew has been forced to interact with the same people (who are getting stinkier), eat the same food, live in the same area, and work the same work for months now. Everyone was tired, cranky, restless, and horny. 

“Do you think you can not start any uprising and power grabs for another two months?” Jack jokes at the crook of Chase’s jaw, that little intersection under his ear where Jack’s eyes always fall on Chase’s neck. 

“No promises,” Chase feels Jack’s warm breath on his neck.

The music behind them gets louder as a second guitar joins the band of increasingly drunk musicians. 

Chase was about to poke fun at their music choice when he felt alone. It was the oddest sensation of holding Jack while knowing the elf was miles away. The naga gives the elf space as he moves back to the railing, back to be as close as possible to his first love. Jack watches the moon sway between the waves. Tonight she looks different than last night. It must be in his mind. After all, he can’t longer recognize those changes in the moon. Yet, the elf feels compelled to memorize every detail in her face.

Jack turns to look at Chase. He hopes against all odds like hoped last time he asked, “do you hear her?”

Chase closes his eyes and takes one long breath. He opens then again and shakes his head.

The elf returns to look at her, and Chase remains at a distance.

“Do you miss her?” the snake asks. He thinks he knows, but on nights like this, he feels he needs to hear it too.

Jack thinks the question over and critically considers his answer.

“No,” he turns to look at Chase, both were surprised by his bluntness, “I don’t think I could since we never spend time together.”

Chase narrows his eyes in suspicion, “then why”  _ are you so hurt?  _ Of course, Chase understood that by cutting his connection to the moon Jack rejected his own magic, his birthright. And he has a right to grief as long as he needs to and however he sees fit, “I wish I could help you.”

“I’m sorry I have been distant and stuff,” Jack turns while coming to a realization that he doesn’t miss the moon. Or at least the relationship he had with her, “everything is weird and.”

Jack wasn’t sure how to continue.

A third guitar is added to the band. They play different tones, similar rhymes, and are accompanied by loud melodramatic voices. It was smooth and passionate music that Jack has not paid attention to until now.

Chase too was surprised by how good the three guitars sound together.

All the unanswered questions fall behind except for the most relevant of all. Things that had slowly boiled for three months, insecurities that have been heaving Jack’s head for decades, and fears that were planted when he was too young, everything stops to give space for one question. The only question that will matter tonight.

“Do you want to dance?” 

Chase turns to look at Jack surprised and pleased. He doesn’t fight that feeling blooming on his chest and tries to give Jack his most charming smile.

“I thought you would never ask,” he extends his hand and Jack takes it.

It was a dance of dominance, and neither man wants to be led tonight. Chase made use of the space around them, stretching his length in a show of power. But Jack didn’t simply accept whatever room the naga leaves him, he jumps with ease over the tail forcing his companion to change his stand. Their movements were a continuous flow, flashier than it needed to be. As both men tried to impress the other. When Chase curves his fingers at the arch of Jack’s back, the elf falls back certain that the snake will catch him. Chase laughs as he dips Jack so low his hood falls revealing his unruly red hair and pretty face. The naga sways Jack back up and higher. The elf is weightless in the air and he puts his arms around Chase’s neck to better anchor himself. Jack wears his mischievous smile and a spark in his ruby eyes that challenges Chase to fight him. The naga felt drunk under the full moon but knew this wasn’t about her. Jack swings himself free, much like he did months ago when Chase and Jack wrestled and uses Chase’s tail to guide his fall. Once on the floor, Jack continues to dance a dance Chase has seen him dance only once during the blue moon. The snake stops their pursuit to watch Jack move, he has gotten better. The elf feels the golden eyes on him and he stops, posing in an overly top fashion that makes Chase laugh. Jack blushes furiously but holds his pose, then he lowers his extended arm to Chase.

It was a dance of dominance, but both partners knew each other too well and their movements sync perfectly to be a proper fight. Instead, it felt like a game. They keep dancing under the light of the moon. Even as songs change and drunken musicians start playing wrong notes, and both are feeling rather breathless they keep dancing. It was hard to stop because they were having so much fun. 

But eventually, the happy guitars take a break and are replaced by a much slower violin. The musician was very skilled or terribly sad because something in her song was awfully depressing. 

Chase thought that they would stop, but Jack holds his hand and refuses to let go. The elf obviously didn’t know how to slow down, as he sways like he did before but slower. 

“You are an imp,” Chase twirls Jack, which was inappropriate for the tune of the song, “and a terrible slow dancer.”

“Hey-ey!” Jack laughs while Chase twirls him, “then show me how is it done, your highness.”

“Easy,” Chase swipes Jack up so fast, the elf grabs Chase’s arm for his dear life. Once up, Chase puts his arm around Jack’s waist and captures Jack’s hand, “and then you move in slow circles with a three-time tempo. There are other tempos but let’s start with the basics.”

That wasn’t particularly funny, but Jack found it absurd that Chase will know about tempos for slow dancing given that he has no feet. Jack throws his head back and catches a glance of the moon behind him. The elf straightens his posture and then leans forwards, putting all his weight on Chase.

“When did you learn to dance?” 

“In my last year at the Echodour Kingdom, I was supposed to go to this ball with the royal family and I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I prepared at the beginning of the year but then the Valley war happened,” it was nice to slow down and talk too. They had many opportunities to talk even with their tight schedules, but the naga has been too tense for a while. Partially because he is in a ship surrounded by water, which he hates, but also because he doesn’t know how to comfort people. Chase doesn’t want to hurt Jack when he is so vulnerable. 

“I can barely imagine you in silk, learning to dance, wearing light colors!” Jack tries to think of a much younger version of Chase, “nervous.” 

“I wasn’t nervous -I needed to make a good impression. It’s different,” Chase insists, and he tries to find the balance between Jack’s happy smile and that deep sadness in his eyes.

“Scare even,” Jack takes one deep breath and buries his face in the curve of Chase’s neck. If he closes his eyes, he could not feel the moon. To Jack, she was gone and his world had gotten darker, “terrified.”

“Jack,” Chase leans his head over Jack’s and tries to think what to say, “how does it feel?” 

The elf blinks at that line of questioning. He knows Chase can be emotionally constipated but even he should have the sense to not ask that. But Jack didn’t mind. They are closed enough to discuss their traumas.

“Surprisingly lonely,” Jack hums and he notices Chase twitch, he will remember this discovery for later, “and like a deep deep  **deep** shame. Like I’m embarrassed like it means I’m weak but I’m not. What I did took guts, more guts than I thought I had. But overall-” Jack pushes himself up and looks into Chase’s eyes. Their faces were so close, if Jack was still affected by the moon he would have already attacked those lips, “guilty because I don’t regret it. Everything I think back to that moment, I just keep seeing myself making the same choices over and over again. I think of what you said once, ‘I don’t get to regret it because I would do it again’ or something.”

Chase nods and tries to process all that. 

“Your chest pains, I haven’t heard you mention it in months,” Chase felt his body stiff like a tree. Talking about something so utterly personal and foreign made his muscles locked up, but he knows Jack has a tendency to bottled up things and this is the closest comfort he can offer the elf. 

“Yes, I usually only get them when I get too much moonlight or get into ridiculously dangerous situations -dangerous for our standards.  _ Or _ used to get them when I got too much moonlight-” Jack turns to look at the moon and then back at Chase, “oh, I see! You are trying to comfort me.”

“I’m not. I just have a morbid sense of curiosity,” Chase smirks and is encouraged to keep going when Jack smirks back at him, “I was going to ask you next to let me study your heart so I can learn how a heart should not sound.”

“Woah, rude,” Jack mock-offended, turning to look at the crew, they were switching violin players, “you know. I like you from the beginning.”

“When I woke disoriented and threatened you. You have a very particular taste in men,” Chase was about to bring up how he has felt Jack being aroused more than a few times while Chase pinned him down but Jack’s eyes softened into something to better fit the violin’s melancholic notes. 

“You never doubt my ability. You always assumed that I can take care of myself and that when I say I’m an expert then I’m an expert.”

Chase knows Jack’s complicated history with his clan and knows he has lots of people doubt him, “still, for that. People in your travels must have treated you well. At least  some must have had common decency and some manners.”

“Yes,” Jack considers what comes next since he has seen Chase react pretty strongly to affection but they were having a great bonding moment so-

“Don’t say because I’m special because I’m throwing you on the floor.”

“Ah!” Jack bites his lower lip, “but you-”

“Don’t make me-”

“-you are a king and all sorts of stuff. I felt special that you recognized me!” 

Chase drops Jack, but the fall is much closer as Chase’s tail offers Jack a soft landing.

“I wish we could get drunk and curse at the moon,” Chase lowers himself down too, feeling a little exhausted from all the emotional talk. But the doctor told Jack not to drink from now on, and it would not be fun if Chase is the only drunk one, “you talk like it is the last time you see me. As if tonight is goodbye.” 

“I just want to let you know that I care for you and that I,” Jack licks his lips and Chase already felt his heart drumming on his chest.

“Don’t you dare,” Chase warns but Jack responds with a wide grim. 

“I love you!” 

Chase bolts up from the floor to the nearest wall for support. He felt his face heat up and his stomach knot-up into a thief knot while Jack’s laugh behind him.

“We were having fun!” Chase turns to glare at Jack who remains unbothered on Chase’s tail, “how long are you going to insist on tormenting me?”

Jack’s laugh fades into a long pause, “I don’t know, how long before we actually part ways?” 

Chase is surprised by the question and looks at the sea. The ocean might look endless, but they will reach their destination. Then what?

The naga sighs and looks at his elf, his dear friend, his traveling companion and so much more.

Their relationship has a deadline. While neither knew when both agreed months ago that they would part ways. Now that time seems to be approaching. But that was so long ago, many things changed, and neither wants to go their separate ways. Neither wanted to lose the other.

“Do you still have the energy for another dance?” Chase tilts his head and when Jack nods. He uses his tail to get Jack back up.

“Um, thanks,” Jack hurries to put his hands on Chase’s hips. Chase rolls his eyes and places his hands on Jack’s shoulders. He makes sure to lean in some weight too, “but you didn’t answer my question.”

Jack accidentally kicks Chase, and the naga remembers when they dance at the duchess’s ball. 

“You asked me an unfair question, it’s not as if it’s up to me.”

Jack kicks him again and the elf looks apologetic. 

“Are you gonna make me choose between me and my heart? Because I’m pretty good at tough separations.”

Chase chuckles and shakes his head, “I’m not here to compete for your attention. But, if it fits your plans I would like you to travel with me,” maybe they could figure something out. 

Jack kicks Chase a third time. The naga puts his hands around the elf’s waist and lifts him up. Jack has no option to put his hands on Chase’s shoulders, though lazily he stretches his arms. He cares not for the proximity of their faces, they sleep together naked, nothing frazzles him anymore. Not even Chase’s handsome face. 

“What if it doesn’t fit in my plans?”

“Then live a long life,” Chase enjoys the heat from Jack’s body as he feels Jack’s weight on him, “and when you hear news of me taking back the desert, then come back to me.”

And just like that, a line was crossed. The nature of their relationship changed from convenient to wanted. Time could no longer limit them and forced them to keep up with boundaries. Their friendship moves into unknown waters, and Chase could feel Jack’s heartbeat quicken. Jack could see Chase’s pupils expand eating away the gold irises. Then for the first time in the night, they suddenly realize how close their faces were. 

This was the moment where a joke should be inserted. 

Jack could say ‘you want me to wait for how long?’ but he felt his heart jump to his throat and he was very distracted by Chase’s face. The smooth skin, the strong jaw and his long nose.

Chase wanted to poke fun at Jack’s flushed face, but he suddenly forgot how to hold Jack up. Wherever he places his hands felt oddly intimate, as he has too many memories of Jack’s naked body that keep resurfacing. 

Both try to laugh at their sudden realization of their position. They individually chastise themselves for becoming so nervous, this wasn’t the first time up close to a pretty face. But it was a first of sorts. 

Neither has ever danced under the moon, played games, and shared conversations deep and light throughout the night with someone they hold so close to their heart. Neither man would consider themselves romantic, but as the violin plays in the background they come to the realization that kissing right now would be nice. 

Jack traces his fingers at the edge of Chase’s jaw and they locked eyes for what it felt like an eternity. Slowly, both men close the distance between them with a delicate kiss. 

Chase was surprised to feel Jack’s dried lips, but their warmth made the naga melt to their touch. He presses his own tightly and he is rewarded with a smile. Chase moves to kiss the corner of Jack’s smile. The elf feels his face heat up, his stomach clench and he squeezes Chase into a tight hug. 

“Mm,” Jack captures Chase’s lower lip with his own, and the naga chuckles, feeling downright giddy. It was a careful kiss, tender and thoughtful. But it took only a flash of the tongue to change their pace, “mm-”

Chase’s forked tongue was thinner and much longer than Jack’s. It was an odd feeling, the wet flicker of tongue dipping into Jack’s mouth. But Jack wasn’t about to back down for something so small. He is far more courageous than he usually is as he explorers Chase’s mouth. He feels an odd thrill when he tastes those sharp fangs and suddenly remembers that Chase is carrying him. The knowledge of Chase’s raw power makes him far more excited than he is out to be for a kiss. 

Chase takes every little hint Jack gives him. Every little touch -like Jack’s hand on his hair, sounds -like Jack’s pretty squeal as Chase squeezes his ass, and heat -like Jack’s hard-on pressing against him. Chase takes every little hint and feeds his own libido. He wants to rip the elf’s clothes off and take him on the floor, but a kiss is only a kiss. 

There are loud sounds and words of encouragement from the crew, but neither man wants to miss even a second of each other by acknowledging them. Later they will deal with whatever consequences are due, but right now Jack wants to feel Chase’s hunger as the naga attempts to fuck him with a kiss. Eventually, breathing becomes a pressing issue.

They separate. Jack breathes through his mouth feeling embarrassing empty without Chase’s tongue. Chase moves to kiss Jack’s cheeks but stops when he feels the ship being pulled forward as a huge wave forms. 

The wave stands unnaturally tall and still in front of The Lady and even the drunken crew started moving. The water morphs taking the shape of a man. The face becomes more detailed and Chase recognizes Omi.

“Water monk,” he hisses and Jack turns trying to see the massive wave in front of them. 

“Shit,” Jack curses, realizing that they are in the middle of the ocean about to face a water monk, “fuck fuck fuck-”

Chase throws Jack away down the cabinet and Pollito screams for people to take their positions. They were not officially under attack, but they will soon be. Right now he has to decide who stays onboard. 

Chase felt his mouth dried, how quickly things changed.

The water monk stares at Chase with an unreliable expression.

“You look small,” he comments. His voice was thunder and echo.

“I can’t say I’m used to hearing that,” Chase felt small. He has always been so proud of his size but in the ocean, facing a giant, he wasn’t much different than a pebble lost in a mountain. 

“I would offer you to come with me voluntarily,” Omi stares at the naga, he didn’t seem worth all this trouble.

“But I would reject your offer, respectfully,” Chase has to think about what to do. Fire would be useless. He can’t summon the earth element so far from it. Wind-

“Of course, but this won’t be much of a fight,” Omi smirks and lifts an arm to capture Chase.

The naga has never wondered if it is futile to choose to fight a fight. Even when Gigi cornered him at his territory, Chase chose to return after escaping to finish his fight. Even when Eka forced him to stand down, Chase would have chosen to fight. Even when Kimiko Tohomiko found him while he was recovering from winter, he still faced her. 

But tonight, Chase will admit he has no idea what he will do.

The naga was surprised to see Mil stand in front of him with his bow and arrow drawn. He lets the arrow fly, it shines and a powerful gust of wind follows. The wind disrupts the water form, and Omi’s arm falls apart in the shape of heavy rain.

“Run!” Mil orders but Chase doesn’t move. 

_ Run where? _ They are at sea. If Chase gets out of view he will be putting at risk the whole crew. He will put Jack in danger, and the elf will drown if he falls in the sea at night. 

Chase has made a careful list of every crew member fighting styles and magic. But would they fight on Chase’s behalf?

“Kid!” a loud shrill voice screams from the main post, the captain stands diagonally, anchored by her eagle-like talons, “this is my boat and that happens to be my man. Now, if you want him, you gotta give me a price,” Mama smiles.

Chase curses, he shouldn’t even have considered using the crew to his advantage. 

“The Lady and her infamous captain Mama. You are wanted for contraband in four different states. I’ll not be dealing with you-”

“Then you can’t take him.” She says so certain it forces Omi to stop.

“Listen-”

“Turn around, and leave while you can, Kid.” 

The monk glares at her trying to decipher if her words hold any truth. Chase would have also been distracted if habit didn’t make him give his whole attention to Pollito. While the captain distracts Omi, Pollito moves the sailors. 

Chase goes to him as instructed and the man ties a bracelet on the naga’s wrist.

“The bean will always float towards land. Use it to get to land if you fall-”

“I fall, I drown,” Chase deadpans.

“Then don’t fall. But if you do, use the bean to get to land.” 

“ENOUGH!!” Omi shouts and it makes the boat sway. 

“What is the plan?” Chase asks his foreman who doesn’t look him in the eye, “there is no plan?!”

Pollito sent his drunk or unlikely to survive this crew to their cabinets -except for Chase, if needed they will sacrifice the snake when the fight becomes too costly. It’s not personal.

Omi crashes a huge wave on the side of the boat and everyone falls. Chase tries to hold to a post, but another wave loses his grip. He is being pulled by water. Mil stands near by wasting arrows, without enough time to properly call the wind his arrows are weak and ineffective. A few water mages attempt to break the waves before they hit the boat but it's rather pointless against a titan like Omi. 

The third wave was the strongest. Tall enough to cover the whole ship, and everyone was nearly pulled into the dark cold ocean. Chase was hanging from the railing, his tail desperately curling at the slippery wall of the boat. He digs his claws into the wood and braces himself for another monstrous wave.The naga felt as his nails were ripped clean from his fingers as he used them to anchor his whole weight. How many more waves will he last? Salt water stings his eyes, he tastes the ocean on his belly after being forced to swallow another mouthful and he hears his name. 

“Jack?” Chase sees the red between all the blurry, “JACK DON’T”

“--FIRE--” Jack was screaming but another wave cuts him off. The elf barely avoids not falling overboard by being held by another crew member.

_ Fire.  _ Heat. Chase was shivering on the cold water and felt his muscles start to lose their strength. He has to completely concentrate on not falling off the side of the boat. He tries to ignore the blood that runs from his hands, the cold that travels all the way to his core, or how another wave will always come. But he doesn’t ignore Jack. 

_ Fire. _

Jack screams something else,  _ to look away,  _ runs so close to the railing it makes Chase’s heart tighten and then throws something. 

_ Fire. Jack wants him to set it on fire. _

Chase can’t hold on and concentrate on using his magic. So he lets go. He finds the small bottle still flying through the air and summons the sun. The heat he wishes for, the warmth of the fire, and the destruction of power. He heats that bottle until it’s hot enough to be fire -even as it enters the water shape of the monk. Immediately a bright white light shines with enough strength to light up the sky. Omi screams in pain trying to protect his eyes from the light but the source is inside him. 

Chase felt himself falling but was surprised to feel a rope on his back, and then another one. Crew members risk their lives to secure Chase won’t fall. Jack is also helped off the railing. 

Most people were able to hear Jack’s warning to not look at the light, so unlike the monk they were not hurt and could continue. During this moment, the water mages break his body apart. Mil prays for the wind and when he releases his arrow the might of a hurricane release. The wind disjoints Omi’s shape, turning him into rain. People stare at the sea, waiting but the monk doesn’t return.

Happy celebratory shouts and painful cries mixed together into a song Chase could never forget, the victory of a war. 

Everyone who fought leaves to rest and everyone who hides in the cabins leaves to keep guard. 

Everything is well as the crew drifts to sleep. Chase and Jack were too tired to talk or think. They stick to each other like they always do and sleep together through the rest of the night but are awakened by Pollito.

He shushes them. 

“ Jack, wake up. You have to leave now. ”

“What?” Jack tries to sit up but Chase’s tail keeps him down.

“Sh-”

“What is the meaning of this-” Chase frowns, disoriented and very confused.

“SH!  Listen, the captain is going to turn you in when we reach the shore. Your best bet is to leave now to Toxic island and figure it out from there.”

“We can figure it out when we get to shore,” Chase was not about to separate from Jack.

“ You won’t be able to. I know she sent a letter to Pandabubba to prepare for a fight. She saw what you can do today and now Pandabubba will be ready for you .” 

“ No, no, no, it has been so long. Why would he -does he still want me dead? ”

“ No ,” Pollito says like it was much worse, “ he asks for you alive and mostly unharmed. He wants to use you, Jack. So make sure he doesn’t find you or he finds you dead .” 

Jack turns to Chase, “ I’m sorry .”

“ You are leaving? ” Chase wants to reassure Jack he can protect him but he isn’t sure he can. Pollito acted with experience and calmness, but he was obviously terrified of Pandabubba.

“ I won’t ask you to come with me this time -” 

“ So I can spend another two months at sea, be presented with a similar treatment once I reach the shore ,” Chase looks at Pollito who shrugs in a weak ‘yeah, sorry about that,’ “ and then continues my travels alone? Pollito, how long is this island? ” 

“ If you leave now and stay on route, two days and two nights. ” 

Chase smiles at the prospect of returning to land so much quicker than anticipated.

Jack was speechless. He wants to warn Chase, the boat will be much smaller, the possibility of turning over greater, less food, and no shelter from the sun. 

“Give them the biggest boat you got,” Mil says from his corner while Vepar and Felix pretend to be asleep, “I’ll pay for it.”

“ **Hey!!** ” Both Vepar and Felix spring up fully awake.

“Sh-” Pollito reminds him, “ is my ass in the line you all of you, quiet! ” He turns back to Chase and Jack, “ we are passing the current that will take you to the island, right now. You need to leave tonight .” 

Without a moment to plan, they follow Pollito out of the cabins to the side of the ship where the emergency boats are. Most were too small for Chase, but there were a few larger ones with a single sail. It will be a tight fit but he will fit.

In the dark and in complete silence they board the tiny sailboat. 

Pollito gives them one last pitiful look before he releases the boat. The small boat nearly broke against the harsh landing. Jack finds the sail and imminently begins unraveling it. Chase will have to guide them since Jack is blind in the dark, but Jack is the only one that knows how to drive the boat. The night is cold and nearly over but the day doesn’t come with any promises. 

But the night, the longest night in history has the prettiest sky neither man has ever seen. Away from any light and in the middle of the sea, Jack can make up each individual star for the first time in his life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love a good role reversal :0  
> This took a lot longer to write. Writing them is gonna take longer cause I actually have to start moving the plot along lol  
> I finished my stuff so now I'm gonna put myself in a schedule. One chapter per month! And the smut is finally coming :D  
> Ps. I'm one of those people that hates when they get together at the very end so I won't be doing that.  
> Ps. thank you guys for commenting :D!


	17. Unravel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything that has been happening finally takes a toll on Chase.  
> Smut time but like wholesome :D  
> Also lots of angst. Chase doesn't know how to deal with feelings part?

**Unravel**

The ocean, like the desert, is an unforgiving terrain suited only to those tailored to it.

Chase nearly froze during the sub-zero nights but survived by using his element of fire to heat up the blood inside his heart. Jack was cornered to a tiny shade, shelter from the glaring sun. The pair lived those two days and two nights in total silence, careful to not rock their tiny boat or lose their path, for any wrong move would mean being lost at sea. 

But all sorrows were forgotten when they saw the shore a mile away. The coastline is sand and trees, known solid ground.

The wind picks up, and the waves are rougher the closer they make it to the shore.

Chase pulls the sail down to keep the wind from rocking their boat, while Jack keeps them in route by holding the stern. The sail was almost down when a strong wave knocked Chase off the mast. The mainsail comes undone, and the wind pushes the boat out of balance. 

Their tiny world flits upside down as their boat turns. It was what they feared.

Chase saw bubbles float away from him as he quickly sank to the depths of the ocean. He saw the boat and Jack’s silhouette become blurry figures as he sinks lower into the belly of the sea. Fear and panic drum in his ears like a well-known song. Chase feels the strange touch of seaweed wrapping around his body. He thrashes but finds himself falling deeper into their cold embrace. The naga looks up searching for the warmth of the sun but it all looks so far away. It happened so fast. 

One moment they nearly made it to land. The next Chase was tied down on the cold ocean floor holding to his last breath. Everything slows down, but the world continues to move. His lungs burn for air. He digs his claws on the sand trying to crawl his way out. Chase called for his magic. Fire allowed him to remain awake and hold to life a little longer. Earth and air were too far away for him to reach. He never knew how to connect to water. 

Chase was born to fire and warned against water. 

Chase was born for power and never warned of the fall. 

The naga believes in the reward of hard work. He believes in the unlikely victories that required him to risk his life. But all he finds are deeper sorrows. A trial after another, he doesn’t have time to breathe. 

The world around him becomes darker as the seaweed's long streaks block the sunlight and Chase sees a wave from under. The water moves like wind. An invisible power dancing in a known yet surprising motion. He feels the ocean pull everything. The seaweed is momentarily pulled, his hair floats behind him, small rocks roll back, and water travels over his back. All the colors of blue could be found as he sees specks of light in air bubbles like stars in the sky. Then the ocean lets go, and everything runs forth. Like it wants to go to land. Chase tries to use this movement to push himself forward. He knows the coast is not far, but he is running out of time.

Then, as desperation burns higher than his need for air, he felt the moon.

Chase remembers a spell he never learned.

“ _Aer Bulla_ ” Chase uses his last breath to cast the spell and millions of bubbles swirl around him forming a dome, just like it happened when Jack cast the same spell in the desert.

Chase takes big breaths panting and wheezing, trying to soothe his exhausted lungs. The man rests his forehead on the floor, caring not for the tiny animals trying to escape his shelter. The naga doesn’t waste time contemplating his mortality. He sees the bean in the bracelet Pollito gave him point in one direction, and he crawls. Chase doesn’t stand up. The weight of the water over his thin shield is daunting, he crawls on his stomach like the snake he is. The waves’ strength increases the closer he is to shore, and his shield pops as soon as he is exposed to air. Chase tries to hurry out of the sea’s grasp as the tide pulls him back, only to toss him forth in the sand. 

The sand is warm and familiar, and the snake digs into the land, overwhelmed to be alive. Then Chase thought of Jack.

The shore was covered with the pieces of their boat and other older vessels. 

“JACK?” Chase looks through the wreck, “JACK?” 

“CHAS--” Jack calls from the sea. He waves his arms and sets to swim back to shore.

Chase awaits nervously, untrusting the sea will return Jack. 

Once Jack is close enough, the waves roll Jack over the sand like they did Chase. The two of them rush to meet. Jack jumps over to Chase, who catches him in a tight hug.

“Oh, for the radiance of the sun!” Chase breathes out over Jack’s wet hair. 

“And all the fucking stars. You are not dead!” Jack gasps. He wipes his nose with his hand and ignores his tears, “I didn’t know what to do!” Jack swam back for Chase. 

“I saw the wreck and I thought,” Chase felt his chest squeeze itself until he could barely breathe, “I can’t believe you went back-” Chase stares at Jack's messy face. 

“I didn’t want to let you-” Jack couldn’t say it, “I couldn’t leave you -I love you.”

Jack stops talking. He has said that before many times by now. But it felt different. Maybe it was enhanced with the near-death experience or because they followed each other for so long or that kiss back at the boat, but when Jack said, “by all the stars in the sky, I love you,” it was different.

Chase, like always, reacted inappropriately. He clears his throat and looks back to land, “Jack, please let me catch my breath.” 

Adrenaline subsides, pain flares up and Chase and Jack are still tightly holding the other. However, the longer they hold each other the more uncomfortable it feels. They move apart. Both focus on their new set of obstacles.

Neither man wants to enter the unknown jungles of Toxic island, but they were short on options. They didn’t know when the tide would rise or how high, the boat’s remains are not sufficient to build anything and they can’t waste precious sunlight. There is no time to second guess. They enter the jungle. 

The trees were much different than the forest and prairies the two are used to. There is a greater variety of trees, shrugs,, and vines that lean over each other in a fierce competition for space. The path was so tightly packed Jack was forced to travel on Chase’s back while the naga used his claws to make space between all the wilderness. Small insects and bright-colored reptiles lazily move out of their way. Jack didn’t know where to put his hands. Suddenly, Jack’s brain wanted to replay the times he had said _I love you_ to Chase and ponder if that kiss back in the Lady meant anything to the snake. Jack tries to redirect his attention to finding something useful, a path, water, a cave, or a possible meal. Jack sees a bright green snake looking down at them from a tree branch or a distraction.

“A cousin?” Jack nudges Chase.

Chase didn’t like to ponder things. He needed to find shelter, food, and a source of water. His mind was so focused he misinterpreted Jack’s attempt at humor. 

“We can’t eat that. It might be poisonous.”

“I mean-” Jack pushes through his nervousness, “because both of you are snakes and green. Well, you were green, now your scales are black or grey. It was funnier before-”

His joke didn’t amuse chase.

“Focus on finding shelter,” Chase hears the hum of magic. A song so clear and vast, it makes the ocean feel small. This was old magic from when the world was still new. Something in him was ecstatic,, but the rest of his head still tries to forget the water that nearly drowned him. “I found something.”

“What?” 

Chase moves faster, nearly dropping Jack on his way. Jack hugs Chase’s stomach and feels stupidly nervous. “Where are we going? How do you know where to go?” 

“Magic,” Chase was surprised with himself. Usually, moving in new terrain takes time, but this was easy. The plants were easy to bend, the rocks and fallen trees covered with moss so it was comfortable to climb, and everything seemed to fall in a pattern that he understood in a way he never understood the forest or even the desert.

Jack tries to ignore the spite he feels, “what type?”

“Old.”

“As in, curse old? Or holy old?” Jack shelters his face from the many leaves crashing against them.

“As in original magic, the beginning of the world, first known to all type of old.”

Jack opens his mouth and closes it, stunned, “that’s- that’s old.” And Jack couldn’t even sense it. He wants to stop and ask Chase how strong it is, but it doesn’t matter.

The snake comes to a sudden stop, and Jack’s face crashes against Chase’s back.

The naga pants heavily and proudly stops by a small stream.

Jack jumps off, cups water between his hands and drinks. Chase kneels next to him and drinks his fill. They wash off the salt from the sea and the sand from the beach. Then they follow the stream up, to higher ground. 

They use half of the day but find a lake.

“We can’t stay here,” Chase frowns sensing another naga, “this territory is taken-”

The pair looks at a few women talking at the other side of the lake, fill their vases in the lake and then turn to leave. They were small, dress light and talk amigable among each other.

“Human?” Jack whispers and Chase shakes his head.

“Partially, but all carry magic in them.” 

“Are they from a village?” Jack didn’t see any paths or signs of civilization. 

“Whatever they are from, it must be near,” Chase looks at Jack and nods. They will follow them from afar, observe how they survive and do the same. 

They give them a few minutes of a head start. Chase would prefer to put a bigger distance but they can’t risk losing them. He made the right decision. Following them was much harder than expected, they don’t take a straight path, but circle around the land’s many curves. 

“A path.” Chase notices a barely visible dirt path.

“Thin,” Jack narrows his eyes, “Is that fruit?” 

Chase moves closer to see a few bushes with brightly colored berries. There were a few planted along the path. He squeezes one of the berries, licks the air and nods, “poisonous. This path was designed to be difficult to find and follow.”

Jack looks at both ends of the path. He can’t hear or see anything but the jungle. 

“Then they are unlikely to want newcomers? What now?” The elf lets his weight fall over Chase. 

Chase was still thinking of his answer when he felt a presence watching him.

“I fear that might be decided for us.”

Jack curiously perks up to see a woman standing in the middle of the path. She was dressed in white with colorful beadwork of flowers on the chest, like a plate in an armor. Her hair neatly braided into two long black strands, face tattoos in her chin and forehead. She looked human but also not. 

“I wish you no harm if you wish me no harm,” the small woman didn’t seem worried by the strange men, and after a short pause she continues, “ I’m Axayácatl, a priestess apprentice, and I come to greet you.”

“Why am I to believe you?” Chase glares at her. 

“Don’t believe me, but you won’t find shelter before nightfall. And I don’t recommend spending the night in the open.”

Chase considers her words. If Axayácatl wanted to harm them, then she could wait until nightfall. 

“We would like to thank you for your hospitality,” Jack cuts in.

Axayácatl waits until she has the attention of both men before speaking again, “follow me.” 

Axayácatl explains to them that they are in Terra, a large island with multiple civilizations. The rumor of the island being toxic was exaggerated but not untrue. The island is home to an incredible amount of poisonous creatures and belief to be the birthplace of magic itself. 

“We made a deal with pirates, they spread the rumor and we allowed them to bury their um finds in our beaches.” 

“It seems rather extreme just to avoid visitors,” Jack comments.

“We are surrounded by much bigger countries, filled with kingdoms that are always at war or about to be. Hungry for the next resource to exploit, and happy to waste young blood if it means strengthening their borders. We feel safer with fewer visitors as possible. After All, we are still recovering from our last outside interaction.” 

“I understand the benefits of isolation,” the naga understood isolation very well, “it's a time to strengthen one’s defenses and carefully consider faults. However, it can’t be a long term solution.”

“It has worked long enough for us to rebuild,” that wasn’t the end of that conversation but they pause at a grand gate. At first glance it appears like a mountain side, but the eye adjusts and sees the carving on the rock. It was the mouth of a beast, fangs, scales and gore. The detail of the carving was beautiful, the shapes precise and bold but it was second to the old skeletons held by tall spikes. 

“Not everyone knows how to keep a secret,” Axayácatl warns them, but it’s ridiculously ineffective. 

Chase and Jack look at the skeletons and them at each other. A narrow path hard to find lined up with poisonous berries leading to a gate shaped like a giant monster. Then, there were the oldest bones in a stick they had ever seen. Those bodies must have been hanging there for hundreds of years. It was such an overkill. 

“It’s not as impressive as you think it is,” Chase says and Jack nudges him.

“ _Pleasedon’tantagonizeourhostess_ ,” Jack says between coughs.

Axayácatl turns to face them confused and insulted, “it’s very impressive,” a few men appear at the entrance to escort them. Again, more men than should be necessary for two intruders, “follow me. You two will stay in the emergency shelter until the elders decide if you can stay.” 

Chase stops as soon as he crosses the gate. A short step in front of the gate is a clift, another security measure against people outside their community. Past the clift was two large valleys with a river crossing between them. The hills had been carved into pyramid-like structures. Thousands of buildings to house millions of inhabitants, blockroads, wide bridges over the river, crops floating over water, and people moving across the largest city to exist yet.

“Wow!” Jack looks at more people than he thought existed. 

Chase and Jack stare at the greatest metropolitan civilization yet. 

“I know,” Axayácatl smiles at her city, “is beautiful. And, quite impressive -if am I to say so myself.” 

After another moment, Chase and Jack followed through a thigh path down the wall to an empty part of the city. 

The area was on higher ground and prepared to host 500,000 people in case of a flood. The architecture, like the rest of the city, were strong bold shapes, large blocks and murals. The pair will be isolated there for two weeks while the elders decide what to do with them. 

Axayácatl showed them the facilities, how to use them, and one of the men brought them enough food to last them a few days. They were told that guards will patrol the area and that Axayácatl would check on them daily, but overall they were free to do as they please.

The first thing they did was sleep. It was late and they were tired. 

Well, attempt to sleep. 

That day had been longer than most. It felt as if it started when they were rudely awakened by Pollito and sent off to the vast sea three days ago. 

Now laying on the tough leather, hidden from the night sky, the pair keeps waiting for the sway of the ocean. 

“I don’t like fish,” Chase spoke first. It was usually Jack that starts conversations but he likes when the naga speaks first.

“First, you don’t like saltwater fish, which is different from freshwater fish,” Jack turns to his side and Chase copies him, “also, no one would like fish if it is the only thing that you eat for three months. Lastly, even if you like fish, the cooking at the Lady suck!” 

Chase chuckles and sighs, he puts his hand over Jack’s shoulder, like he has done so many times. The elf looks terrible. His skin is dry from all those months at sea. His eyes keep closing and shooting back open like his body is begging him for sleep but Jack’s mind can’t grant it. And that tired smile is so sweet. Chase wants to kiss him, he feels the warmth from Jack’s shoulder, and reminds himself to prioritize.

“I can’t believe we are again at the mercy of an unlikely hostess,” Chase’s squeezes Jack’s shoulder.

“Technically, we are at the mercy of the council of elders, or something like it, and as someone who lived in a society in which all the decisions have to be Okayed by the oldest fuckers in town, it’s much much worse,” Jack chuckles and inches closer. He feels better when talking to Chase. 

“If this was your clan, what would they decide?” Chase pulls Jack closer, he hugs the elf and wraps his tail around them.

“They would delegate about it for like a month and then be like, for the safety of our people we are gonna kick you out,” Jack cuddles against Chase. He felt nervous. They had been here so many times but he felt so nervous when he rested his head on the curve of Chase’s neck. He remembers the spot that made the naga shiver back at the ship.

“I assumed the same, though I think it’s unrealistic to think we have a month,” Chase closes his eyes. He is thankful that Jack runs hot. The snake wants to wrap his whole body on Jack and melt on his companion's arms. Chase opens his eyes startled by his own thoughts.

“How long do you think we have? And can we recover from our last journey, gather resources and come up with a plan before they kick us out?” Jack stares at the braided black hair tucked behind Chase’s neck. He wonders if Chase is ticklish. The answer should be a no, Jack has touched Chase enough to know but now he knows there are unexplored corners. The elf wonders if the snake could enjoy kisses along his pretty neck, if Chase would let his head fall back to better expose himself and

“I don’t know. That’s why we must make sure our most urgent needs are first met. Tomorrow we will request a doctor,” Chase could smell Jack’s arousal. Chase simply ignored it or consciously avoided commenting on it because there were lines he shouldn’t cross. It was flattering at best, knowing how often and how easily Chase could draw a reaction out of Jack. But at worst, it was awfully confusing. Like now. Now when they are exhausted in every sense of the word but too stressed to sleep, he could sense Jack _wanting_ him. Chase chose not to hold Jack’s attraction against him, but 

“You are so sweet,” Jack was truly touched. He could always rely on Chase. Maybe that’s why it was so easy for Jack to let his guard down and be vulnerable. The elf, feeling brave, presses his face against Chase’s neck and the snake lets out a small involuntary laugh, “and ticklish?”

“Don’t you dare!” Chase tries to get away, but he has foolishly wrapped around himself so tightly he couldn’t get away, “Jack!” 

It was easy for Jack to climb on top of Chase, drag his hands over Chase’s stomach, chest and arms in a pretense of a friendly game and lightly blow his hot breath in a spot behind Chase’s ear. The snake lets out a small burst of laughter followed by him squirming on the floor. 

“You gotta do better than that!” Jack anchors himself by holding Chase’s shoulders and pressing his tights around Chase’s sides, it was like riding a horse, “the big Chase Young, trapped by-”

Chase turns, careful to protect Jack, and takes Jack rolling around the floor until he has the elf on his back. 

“Do you think it is wise to challenge me? Little elf,” Chase laughs, tired, playful and a little horny, he waits for Jack’s answer.

“I should let you know, this isn’t the first time I wrestle a naga.” 

The game soon got out of control. First Jack struggled to free himself while Chase laughed at him. But the elf knew the snake very well. He knew how to touch to trigger the tail’s grip to soften -a habit Chase was forced to pick up to allow Jack to use the bathroom at night. Then Jack runs around the room. The small space was hard for Chase to turn, but he knew how to corner prey. The elf was nearly caught, but he chose to take a leap of faith and jump out of the window. There were very few torches up, meant only to light the area Chase and Jack were expected to stay in. Jack takes one and runs. 

It was nice to run not because he feared for his life, hunters were on their trail or work required him. Jack was running because he wanted to. 

Jack runs until he decides he is far enough and ditches the torch. The elf walked in the dark waiting to be caught. Jack worried if he got too into their game and Chase returned home. The moment Jack stepped out of his hiding spot he was tackled. He lets out a loud squeal and somehow escapes Chase’s grip, but the tail stops him surrounded. The elf's last attempts were cut short by a powerful hand holding both of Jack’s wrists above his head. Chase gives his catch a smug smile and patiently waits until Jack stops fighting. 

Jack stops fighting, drops his weight forcing Chase to keep him up -which the naga could easily do. The elf is breathless, a happy type of tire, and he waits for Chase to free him but he doesn’t. 

The naga flashes thoses dangerous fangs and uses his free hand to pull Jack’s collar lower. He leans in taking his price, marking the loser with a bite. Jack feels the sharp teeth against his skin and he couldn’t stop himself from shivering. Chase bites hard enough to receive a reaction, a slow drawn-out moan, but not hard enough to break the skin. He then kisses over his bite and raises a judgemental eyebrow to Jack.

“What?” Jack swallows hard.

“Mm,” Chase lets Jack lower his arms but he keeps holding his hand, “this was fun, but I think we got different things out of it,” Chase laughs, and Jack blushes furiously.

Jack decides not to push his luck by asking ‘what does that mean?’ he lets himself be guided back to their room. 

“It was just some fun,” alone the two of them, “it was nice.”

“Is it over?” Chase asks, hopeful it wasn’t.

“We have to eventually go to sleep,” Jack whines. He doesn’t want to sleep, even if he is tired, he doesn’t want to deal with whatever new obstacle tomorrow will bring. Jack doesn’t want to explain to a new doctor his many illnesses or draw a timeline with Chase. He wants to play a little longer, like nothing matters but them. 

“Or we could play a board game?” Chase proposes, “I saw some under the table. I don’t know how to play but the night is young, we can spare an hour or two.”

Jack smiles and quickens his pace, “we can make our own!” 

The elf jumps in front of Chase, who has to catch him to not run him over. They both laugh comfortably in the moment they create. 

“What about sleep?” Chase carries Jack.

“Fuck sleep!” Jack declares and then in a softer voice he adds, “tomorrow might be shit so let's make tonight nice.” 

Chase opens the door to their house, surprised to see someone in it.

Jack was right about tomorrow, but tomorrow would be delivered earlier.

Axayácatl looks at them up and down suspiciously, “where were you?”

“Out,” Chase answers cuttingly, “we went for a walk.”

The woman wasn’t satisfied with Chase’s answer but she didn’t push for more.

“The elders had made a decision,” she watches them hold their breath, “and that is that they can’t properly decide since they know enough about you two. Tomorrow you are to meet with the council individually. They will determine if you are allowed to stay then. You are welcome to refuse but then you must leave immediately.” 

Chase nods and says nothing else. None of them expected to face the council tomorrow.

Axayácatl waits a few seconds and then leaves. Jack runs after her, asking her to wait.

“Axa!”

“Axayácatl,” she corrects him, “I don’t do nicknames.”

“Oh,” Jack thinks over her name.

“Do you need my assistance? If not, I recommend you two spend this time well.”

“Do you have doctors?”

“Of course we have doctors!” Axayácatl answers almost offended by the assumption that they didn’t.

“I mean, experts. I’m looking for a heart expert,” Jack puts his hand over his chest and Axayácatl’s eyes softens, “this city is beautiful but I’m looking for someone who can help me.”

“I don’t know what illness pains you, but we have the best holy healers to ever roam this world. If you stay, I will personally make sure you find a doctor to care for you.”

Jack doesn’t believe her but he wants to.

“I’ll also like to thank you.”

“Thank me?” Axayácatl tilts her head.

“No seal or official message. You chose to tell us now instead of in the morning.”

“The council will know if you lie,” Axayácatl warns him, “but you should at least have time to prepare.” 

The woman gives him a cautious smile and disappears into the night,

When Jack enters the room Chase is already preparing tea. The elf smells the sweetness of mint and the heat of the fire on a warm night. 

Jack sits and takes his clay mug. He admires the bright colors painted on the side.

“Did you hear that?” Jack asks while Chase pours hot water into his cup.

“Yes,” Chase takes his place on the table. The smell of the tea is familiar, “what do you think?” 

“I think she is telling the truth and that our best bet is, to tell the truth.”

“That might work for you, but I doubt I will be rewarded for my honesty. I know little of this place, but they are doing everything they can to avoid conflict. I’m set to kill my enemies, my powerful enemies, which could start a war.”

Gigi’s death resulted in the duchess's state being burnt, which has more consequences than the pair saw. And tricking the Xiaolin fire monk to accidentally attack Eka’s territory could not be solved peacefully. 

“...Maybe, don’t tell them all the truth?” Jack drinks the tea, it has a different flavor, something he has never tasted.

“I am certain the council of elders is more adept than you gave them credit. Some might say you are bais,” Chase mocks from behind his cup. He recognizes the flavor, “lucida.”

“Who is that?” 

“Tagetes lucida, the tea is tagetes lucida,” Chase stares at the mug in utter disbelief. 

“You know it?” 

“It was my father’s favorite.” 

“Oh,” Jack, “so that’s where that comes from?” It was fun discovering something so mundane about Chase. 

“He introduced me to tea. Though he preferred yellow tea. I like herbal and black teas,” it was odd to think of something so small. Something so important to him yet meaningless. He shouldn’t be wasting time making and talking about tea-

“What type of tea do I like?” Jack asks, unknowingly snapping Chase from a line of thought he isn’t used to.

“Herbal… though you might like anything with enough honey,” the man smiles and decides to ignore his preview's odd pause and keep moving forward -like he always does. 

“Mm, that’s true-”

“Let’s concentrate on tomorrow,” Chase pushes any distractions out of his brain, “I don’t know this terrain or its an ecosystem, surviving it might prove difficult. It would be best if we can stay here longer, but if that’s not possible then you have to find out how to stay.” 

“You mean alone? Stay here alone?” Jack pouts and shrinks himself, “I thought that we agreed to stay together, at the boat” the elf blushes to the tip of his ears, “‘To figure it out, um sort of deal.”

Chase smiles remembering the kiss they share, they are to talk about it. But not now, “yes. But it would be better for you to stay here until I know it is safe out there. See a doctor here and rest. I can survive on my own just fine.”

Jack chose not to take offense to that. Chase was right. The man could live weeks to months without food if necessary, his size provides him with an advantage and he still has a connection to magic, “fine! But you gotta try to convince them to let you stay too. You can’t just keep enduring everything that comes your way.”

“I can take it,” Chase answers before thinking, “but I’ll do my best to convince them.” 

They discuss more details but soon they are forced to sleep. 

Sleep is comfortable and deep, their exhausted bodies completely surrendered to the nothingness of sleep. 

Nagas didn't dream yet _Chase was aware he wasn’t awake._

_It was hard to tell if it was a nice dream. Chase has never had a dream before._

_He stood in the same room he had fallen asleep, but the room was emptier and bigger. He was also alone. But he didn’t feel alone, he felt like someone was watching him._

The morning came too fast. 

Chase and Jack stare at each other in shared annoyment as Axayácatl and an unknown man look down at them.

“We come to escort you,” the man says softly. Almost embarrassed to be intruding in their visitors’ morning.

Chase sits up and tries to appear as dignified as he can while having just woken from his first real night of sleep since he left the safety of solid land. Jack wasn’t even trying. 

“Is it really morning?” the elf shamelessly hides his face under a portion of Chase’s tail.

“It would have been nice to have time for breakfast,” Chase tries and the pair seem to consider it, “after all, we just arrived yesterday after three long months at sea.”

“You can eat in the way,” Axayácatl declares and turns to leave. Chase and Jack follow her. 

The man, Icnoyotl, offers them dried fruit and water as they walk. Everything about that man but his demeanor scream fighter. He was much taller than Axayácatl but still shorter than Jack, plus he has a physique only obtained through years of training. The way he moves, how he holds his staff and carefully inspects his surroundings. He was a soldier yet his eyes were far too gentle. 

They walk nearly an hour to another empty building. 

It wasn’t any different than any of the empty houses they walk past. It was unlikely that it was the real place where the Council meets. No when walls are painted with murals and the city they saw below holds such vibrant architecture. That means the elders moved further from the city, here, instead of taking the strangers to wherever they usually reside. Chase frowns, it was far too much trouble to go through for two visitors.

“Jack, you are to go first. Icnoyotl, accompany him.”

Icnoyotl looks at Jack then at Chase, “Axayácatl, I would prefer to stay. Jack can meet the elders alone-”

“You misheard,” Axayácatl slightly tilts her head up to match his gaze, “I wasn’t asking you, I was ordering you.”

After a tense moment, Icnoyotl did as he was ordered to. 

Chase watches Jack enter the humble clay home and then sees the door close.

“Why allow me in if they already know who I am?” Chase asks without looking at his hostess.

“Because they want to hear what you have to say.”

Chase considers her words. What would he say? Would it matter? After all this time, and everything he has done and lost and fought for, would it matter what he has to say? What would it change?

“Why would they care for my words?”

“Mm,” Axayácatl shilts her weight a few times and then turns to face Chase, “would you take a walk with me?”

The naga lifts an eyebrow and then looks at the house. He won’t part from Jack.

“I am not leaving Jack alone. I, also, don’t trust you.”

“Jack is Sylarus, a moon elf from the Gibbous clan. His kind search for him for nearly ten years. He is welcome to stay but he will be sent away soon.”

Chase considers that. They know who they are and the decision on their stay has already been made. 

“Then tell me, why must you come get us so early in the morning?” Chase was more annoyed than worried at that point. It made Axayácatl laugh.

“So I could ask you for a walk, of course.”

“Alone.”

“Yes,” Axayácatl takes a few steps and then looks back, “would you come?” 

Chase gives the house one last glance before following her, “don’t take me far.” 

They walk in silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable but not amiable either. It was a very dull sort of tense. Chase didn’t mind silence and he didn’t worry about time. He is certain that Jack will be detained long enough for them to go and come back.

“Here,” Axayácatl touches a wall, it borders against the outside. It was another mural. This one was a mixture of houses and forest, everything fractured by multiple disrupting rivers and random lakes. It took only a moment for Chase to connect the clues, the path, the city and the river: a map. The woman walks slowly in front of Chase, following the drawing of the main river with her fingers. The history of a map, a recording of how the scenery has changed. The more Chase looks the more unnatural it seems. Great rivers are created over time, but how the vegetation is drawn, looks like the river didn’t belong there. It was as if the earth was shattered, Chase saw cliffs and hills, destroyed homes and bodies. Little soldiers were drawn along the fractured earth, red lines covered the broken land and a black fog overpowered everything. The further they get, the more brutal the scene becomes, until they reach the end and the beginning. The beginning of a terrible tale and the end of a road. The Heylin Witch, Wuya, the heart of stone is drawn mid air as her magic wreaks havoc in the land. Chase stares at the witch. He looks at her power, the many soldiers lying dead at her feet and then he looks back at the long reach of her damage. A war so brutal, the effects are still recent. 

Chase realized a glaring and obvious truth; Wuya is much stronger than him. Wuya already defeated him. And she had a millennium to grow stronger, to gather armies, and become much more deadlier than Chase could ever imagine. So how could he ever- “is it true, you are planning on killing the witch?”

“Yes,” Chase couldn’t say anything else.

“How?” Axayácatl’s sharp brown eyes stare so intensely into Chase’s, he fears she knows far more than she should.

“Why should I tell you?” Chase answers with a poker face worthy of an acting award, “are you to offer me support?” 

The woman was taken back by Chase’s bluntness, but he was right. 

“...Shelter.” 

“We both know you can’t secure that,” Chase glares at her.

“I have more of a say than you think. I’ll talk to the elders and ask for your safety, but in return please, please kill her,” Axayácatl bows her proud head and Chase looks away.

“Letting me stay is choosing a side. Not even Lady Eka took that risk knowingly, and she had less to lose and none of the painful history your people share.” 

“Please don’t be proud,” Axayácatl remains with her head down, “when they call your name, share your mind with the old thinkers. Hear their words without being defensive, fake humility if you must because you won’t survive out there. I need you to survive because the last millennia Wuya has reigned unopposed -only submissive to the demon itself.” 

“Hannibal,” Chase whispers and he feels his stomach trying to crawl out of his mouth. 

“Yes, he comes to me,” Axayácatl raises herself, “in my dreams-” 

The sound of a horn interrupts them.

“I’m being called,” Chase couldn’t look at her, because for the first time since he started his mission, he is contemplating failure. 

The way back felt much longer. Neither of them spoke a word but the sound of their movements felt deafening. Everything was too loud and bright and Chase felt nauseous from the taste of his own tongue. 

They made it on time to see the door opening and Jack waddling out.

The elf was emotionally exhausted. He collapses on Chase’s arms as soon as the naga touches him. Jack whispers to him how nosey the elders were, asking for intimate details of his life. He was only allowed to stay under the promise that he is to return to his clan this year. Jack didn’t worry, he could simply not fulfill said promise.

Chase chose not to tell Jack about his walk with Axayácatl. 

Icnoyotl escorts Chase inside. 

The room was exactly like the living room Chase and Jack are occupating. 

A large table full of eight elders and four others in mismatched chairs. 

The array of wrinkled faces stare at his every movement. They size him up and make low sounds under their papers and tea mugs. 

Icnoyotl lowers himself to one knee, “Esteem elders, I present you Chase Young -a weary traveler who seeks shelter in the great city of Xipil.” 

“Hmp,” a particularly wrinkled man coughs, “that's rather a lacking introduction.” 

Icnoyotl looks like he wants to say something but another man, a much younger-looking human, though it is unlikely he is fully human, stops him, “you can't expect him to know better.”

“Chase Young, I heard much of you. But I never would have imagene you to look like a handsome young man. No after everything I heard,” a woman interjects, redirecting the conversation. “We know you were the triumphed survival of your clutch. You left the comfort of the prairie for the desert, with plans to start a new kingdom out of sand. However, unable to start a robust enough agriculture in your land due to well-”

“Being a desert,” said the youngest looking of the group, like Chase was stupid. Though, to put it simply, he should have known better than to try farming in the desert.

“Yes,” the woman glares at the man, not happy with being interrupted, “you started an unlikely alliance with the Echodour Kingdom. Through your efforts, they could pay their debt, stand up to their neighbors, and become the agricultural and economic force they are today. At that same time you engaged in a war against the Han family for a trading route, the valley war. After 45 years of battle and many sacrifices including selling your soul to the unnameable demon, you were victorious. Against all odds, you truly obtained everything your heart ever desired. You have complete control over the desert, along with the most profitable trading ruote -opening very lucrative possibilities, and a secured source of food with your alliance to the Echodour Kingdom.”

“Truly impressive,” someone adds in disbelief. 

“Yes, and it was obvious to anyone aware of your existence, that you will take over the continent in a short century. But you didn’t have the patience for that.” 

“Too impatient,” the same person adds.

“You wanted more. So, still recovering from a war and governing a young kingdom, you searched how to overthrow the devil himself. The same creature who gave you the power to end wars, did you ever stop to think he might be even much more powerful than you could ever account?”

It was a real question but Chase couldn’t answer. He didn’t expect to have his life told to him. The second time he heard his mistakes being presented to him, they were glaring oversights that anyone with common sense would have avoided. Chase Young wasn’t stupid, but he surely felt like an imcompetent idiot.

“I did. I had a plan.”

The elders wait for the man to continue, but that is all Chase is willing to say. His plan doesn’t sound as smart as it did millennia ago. 

“Yes. You did have something that resembled a plan. You allied yourself with the most treacherous of company, and just in case Wuya didn’t betray you, you are also confined to your enemy, the Xiaolin.” 

Chase felt a cold sort of embarrassment. He felt his face tighten and his hands ran cold. He felt the hot air of the room enter his body and solidified on his guts. 

“You used your talent for magic, your vast knowledge, and discipline to craft a spell. And in your arrogance, you truly believe only you could finish it. The Xiaolin finished the spell. Wuya tricked you into lowering your guard-”

“I never lowered my guard! **I Knew I couldn’t trust them!** ” Chase screams so loudly he was scared of his own voice. It didn’t sound like him. The anger and heat behind his words burned his mouth and clouded his judgment. But not enough to say more than that. Chase didn’t expect more of them than what was agreed to after betrayal was nearly hoped for. A reason to dispose of his past allies but how was he to know that they had so little honor to not even fulfill their word. 

“To hold you they used all the magic of the desert, to keep you asleep. The Xiaolin used magic to trap the Heylin. Wuya being the last to be captured, but not before she caused irreparable harm, has grown in power. But her power is but a flame in a thunderstorm, he is still the one controlling the south. The world nearly forgot about you while you were forced to endure a centuries-long time out.” 

It was so much information. So many events that feel so far away, it’s like a different person lived them. 

“Was I the only one who slept?” That's the part that bothered him.

“To our knowledge, yes.”

The room became hotter than Chase could stand. He could barely breathe and focus his eyes at the same time. Everything was a blur, in a moment of pure desperation the fallen Heylin prince whispers to himself “they didn’t have to be so cruel.” 

“What?!” The oldest one calls him to speak louder.

“Why didn’t they kill me?!” Chase asks and he waits for an answer, he couldn’t voice his next thought. 

“Because they couldn’t. They didn’t know how. So they did the second best thing,”

“They cut my connection to magic,” Chase continues. He has been working for months in reconnecting to his magic and while he has been partially successful, he doesn’t possess a fraction of the power he used to, “why was I the only one who was forced to sleep?” 

“Because it only took you a decade to decide to fight the strongest in your group. How long before you find a way to fight back for what was done to you?” 

Chase could see it now. If he hasn’t chosen the fucking desert to start a kingdom -he could have the Prairie before Eka was even born. He would have such a beautiful land with all seasons and an obvious source of food. If have stayed in the Echodour Kingdom and found a different trading route, he might have been their king! The kingdom still remembers him in a favorable light regardless of all the unhappiness Chase caused, they might have chosen to follow him as a king. If Chase had decided not to start a war with a powerful family or wait until he is more established and had his own army. Or he could have rejected Hannibal’s deal. Or not immediately plot to dethrone him after accepting his deal. Or just not ally with Wuya and the Xiaolin. They were so many moments in which he could have chosen not to royally fuck up. But he didn't. Chase made mistake after mistake and now, after so long, he is done. 

Chase rubs his face, trying to focus on the problem at hand, but everything feels so overwelding. 

The naga has rarely regretted things. He believes that he always chooses correctly given the circumstances, his available knowledge and resources. So he can’t regret what he chose. But right now Chase Young regrets everything.

He hears his name.

“What?”

The old faces look more worried than judgemental. Chase was about to remind himself of who he is, and not to look down on him when he jumps sideways. He was surprised to see Icnoyotl offering a cup to him. 

“We asked if you would like some water?”

“No. I am fine,” Chase stares at the young man, he got too close too easily for Chase’s taste. His mind had truly run a drift. 

“We can take a break, or meet again tomorrow morning.” Someone recommended.

“No,” Chase takes a deep breath and pushes through all his thoughts until he is in a place where he can concentrate again, “I am fine.”

The elders stare at the man, almost like they expected him to break in his next breath.

“Then we shall continue.”

“I wonder, what could you ask me that you don’t already know?” Chase crosses his arms, he was surprised that people who reside in isolation had a pretty detailed knowledge of foreign history. Chase’s history.

“While we know of events directly influenced by you in the past, we are still speculating the latest events. What do you know of our current global state?”

Chase considers that question. The honest answer would be ‘nothing, I only care for what affects me directly,’ but he chose to say, “I know there has been an increasing tension between the Xiaolin and the Heylin. Most likely due to the one thousand years of imprisonment being up, which will result in Heylin masters re-gaining their liberties.”

The naga stops, the elders continue to listen intensively but Chase doesn’t have more to say. 

Chase remains firm in his silence, and so do the elders. 

The heat of the room feels unbearable. Or maybe is the smoke that seems to thicken with each passing minute. 

Silence amplifies their stares, old eyes watching Chase like he was art. They stare as if by looking along they could understand the values that make up the man. Their eyes roam over his body, like a critic inspects brush strokes in a painting. The council looks at the man with the cold detachment a hunter carves the meat out of an animal. 

Chase has never given tests or examinations more time than a thought. He, being a prodigy since birth, smart and talented, never had to try to impress. Still, without that experience to relate to, Chase knew he was letting this group of strangers down. For the first time in his life, the man didn’t live up to his reputation. All those eyes keep looking for something that wasn’t there.

“A short summary,” the youngest of the group took pity on Chase and ended the silence, “the Xiaolin and Heylin are heading for a conflict. Yes, but there are other interesting events coinciding with your awakening. The curse of the Calidi-Issimo desert has been lifted or weakened to a non-existent point. There has been not one, but two significant fires by the great prairie -Lady Eka’s land.”

The man stops and looks at Chase, but the naga doesn’t answer to the familiar name.

“You had to know of her, the only way to reach the seashore is by her territory.” 

“I passed through her territory shortly,” was all Chase offered.

“The fire was subdued within a week, but many use this opening to attack and more are waiting for an opportunity to ransack Eka’s estate after her inevitable fall.”

Chase makes a sound of defiance. The man stops talking and looks at the naga.

“In the short time I spent in Eka’s estate, I can’t say I see her falling.”

“You don’t see her falling,” the very wrinkly elder tries that sentence, and the corners of his mouth lift into a condescending grin, “and you would be a great judge of that, wouldn’t you? King.”

Chase didn’t know why the words of a man he doesn’t even know bothered him, but he felt compelled to explain. 

“Eka is incredibly powerful and wise. She, more than anyone, is aware of her weaknesses and it is this knowledge that will grant her the advantage in every fight,” Chase really believes that. Eka survived her entire life not by using her absurd magical prowess but by being careful. The old naga knew that she was strong inside her territory, so she let others come to her. 

“Stories of Lady Eka’s greatness reached even our reclusive land, but a powerful being harbords many enemies,” the oldest of the group explains with a sigh and continues with a slow tone, like Chase was a child, “if what you shared with us are your true beliefs, then you are not as grand as your reputation suggests.”

The sentiment was shared by the council. 

And with that last remark, their questions ended. They took a moment, whispering among each other. 

Chase felt his gut dig into his body, like he wanted to hide within himself. The feeling was as foreigner as it was overwhelming. However, the snake was not a man to quietly wait for judgement. 

“If you believe Eka will fall, do you hope Wuya will simply disappear?” Chase asks with the indifference of someone who doesn’t longer care for one outcome or another. He waits for an answer but after a few seconds he moves on, “you predict the failure of a good woman, an ally to any who does as little as bow their head, a patron of history and art. But what do you predict, if not hope, for the woman who unmade you,” again they answered with silence, “Wuya has grown stronger since my day, opposed only by cowards, too scared to do more than quietly live under her heel. The shadow she casted upon you is still here. I don’t mean to humiliate you,” Chase couldn’t produce the right tone for his speech. He was so tired. Exhausted in every sense of the word, but he pushes his drained mind further, uncaring if this will finally break him, “she was my unmaking too. The beginning, the middle or the end, she was there at one point. The hate I feel for her is real, it’s fire is what keeps me upright on my darkest moments. And it can unite us; your history and mine, she is our enemy. Allow me to stay here until I recover, and then I’ll leave to fight her. I promised you her head and heart in a pot.” 

Chase couldn’t offer more details. But the deal is beneficial to Xipil people, since they won’t have to participate in the battle against Wuya.

The elders were not moved by Chase’s unpassionate speech. They pretend to consider his word in a lifeless conversation. 

“You will die a fool if you fight Wuya,” the eldest man said again, “we hoped you the grand warrior history tells, but you are not. You are a talented man who burnt his mark in history, but in the process you die. You didn’t just sleep, you died to this world. Be grateful for this second change in life. Keep your head down, find a small unknown town and live there until your enemies find you again. You will die as a consequence of what you have done, this time you won’t wake up, but there is no reason for you to hurry to meet your fate.” 

“That’s enough,” someone cuts in, the youngest of the group, he spares a pitiful smile to Chase, “you might stay the night-” this causes an uproar in the room.

“No, listen,” before the woman could continue, the door opened. Sunlight and air blast into the stuffy room, and Jack runs in with Axayácatl chasing after him.

“Esteem elders! I tried to hold him but he is-” Axayácatl stops while Jack takes the floor as if it was a stage.

“You already decided!” Jack screams in utter indignation, “why are you fucking mocking us with a stupid hearing when you know you don’t want us!”

“Young elf, you are welcome to stay but-”

“I can’t stay without Chase!” Jack goes to the table and bams his hands against the wood. The sound startles the room, “I can’t do it without Chase.”

“Jack,” Chase moves next to the elf, his stress replaced with thoughts of Jack, “you must stay,” the man carefully places a hand over Jack’s and with his other hand he cups Jack’s face turning him to face him. Like Chase already imagined, Jack was crying, “we talk about this. And you said you were good with tough separations.” 

Jack lightly shakes his head as he makes the most pitiful sounds. Little sobs fill the room as the elders are forced to watch a moment of intimacy. 

“I can’t,” Jack lets his sorrow flow out of him without shame, he turns to the table again, “you know why I left. You know all the obstacles I faced and the sacrifice I made,” Jack puts his free hand over his heart, “I’m not a proud man, so I can honestly say I can’t do this alone. I can’t go find a new doctor, face my diagnosis again and again until maybe I find someone who can help me,” Jack stops and cleans his face, “I’m scared what that would mean. But I also can’t keep living with my heart at the verge of failing me. Please do not make me choose, because,” Jack considers his words carefully, “I want to live, but I’m not strong enough to do that on my own. I need him, please let him stay.”

The elders look at each other, unable to come to an agreement.

“Jack,” Chase whispers, but as much as he tries to keep his words for Jack, the room is too invested in their interaction to not pay attention, “I want you to live, and I promised you we will find a way back to each other. So, stop with the tears. We both know you are stronger than the moon herself-”

An inappropriate nervous chuckle from Jack, “blasphemy.”

Chase can’t help but smile. 

“You can do this alone.”

Even in the most hopeless of moments, Jack can make him laugh. A whirl of emotions unravels the knot Chase’s stomach has been for the past two hours. A pleasant feeling blooms on his chest and the naga lowers his face to press his forehead against Jack’s. He looks at Jack’s big eyes, tears hanging from long eyelashes, fierce red irises, and pupils dilating, relaxing, in comfort only Chase could provide. There were words Chase never thought he would feel stuck on his throat. 

A cough bursts their little bubble, both men take a step away, suddenly aware that they were not alone. 

“You are already showing me great hospitality by letting me stay, but I beg you to do the same for Chase.”

The room falls into another tense silence. It was something to kick out an intruder, but it was a different thing to kick out a man while his lover begs them to let him stay. This silence felt more scrutinizing than the last, until an elder that has been quiet speaks for the first time.

“A female naga named Coatl lives on the other side of the island, she is an ally to the Pixil. We already sent a message alerting her of a new naga. If those two meet and fight, it could be devastating to the land. Chase Young has a hack for setting large fires. I assumed it would be a waste of your energy as well,” they point as Chase, “also, ours,” now they address the other elders, “having to send more messengers to keep taps of what is happening, especially when our messengers are not short of work.” 

“Get to the point old crone!” the oldest in the room rushes them.

“It could easily be avoided if Chase writes to Coatl expressing respect,” they allow the room to think of what they are saying, “and until they end corresponding, the two lovers might be ready to leave our city -naga’s traditions are complex social rites.”

The pair are fast to catch up.

“I should write right away, I’m already too close to her territory. I must explain my circumstances and wait for her response,” Chase enthusiastically adds, and Jack beams happily next to him.

The mood changed so quickly it was more funny than jarring. 

“Then, you two are, well, free to go, I suppose. Anyone oppose it? No, run.”

Without a moment to lose, the pair leaves the room and marches to their own little house. They ignore Axayácatl and Icnoyotl calling them.

Chase can’t talk to anyone right now. He wants to bury his face in Jack’s messy short hair until the world stops screaming. The naga picks up the elf, who squeals surprise and then laughs as Chase moves between the houses, leaving Axayácatl and Icnoyotl far behind. 

The way back felt shorter and the house they are staying was comfier than the identical house they come from. 

Chase drops over the unbroken leather mattress and immediately coils himself around Jack. The elf laughs as he feels Chase’s breath against his neck, then he notices Chase is frozen in place. 

There is something heavy between them. Jack thinks of the night Eka told Chase he was betrayed by his allies and how the naga broke down right after. Jack hugs Chase, he buries his hand on the black hair and thinks about approaching the question.

“Was it your idea or Axayácatl’s to interrupt the meeting?” Chase asks, still hiding on the curve of Jack’s neck.

“Ah?” Jack was surprised by Chase's quick recovery, “Axayácatl’s. I mean, she didn’t tell me to do it but she pretty much did.”

“I figured, I didn’t think you could overpower her physically,” Chase sighs, feeling relieved that Jack didn’t think he needed saving.

Jack was still worried for Chase, so it took him a second longer to understand that, “hey! Are you calling me weak?” 

“No,” Chase lets out a soft chuckle, “never. I simply look at Axayácatl and think, biter.”

“Mm, she is pretty short and, yeah, yes, I agree, biter,” the more they talk the more Jack relaxes, “what about Ino- yol? He doesn’t look like a biter.”

“Icnoyotl. You noticed too. He has a nice body, seems familiar with his weapon and is oddly gentle for a warrior but so was Vepar and she was a killer.”

“But he doesn’t feel like a fighter. I don’t know why.”

“He is still green. He had plenty of scars in his hands, from learning how to use a sharp weapon but not a single scar on his body.”

“He has never been in a fight?” Jack frowns. 

“He has never been in a fight with an enemy, someone who wishes to kill him. Only with his kin.”

Jack shifts uncomfortably, “so these people haven’t seen conflict in a while.”

“It appears so.”

“Do you think the monks will find us here? Like they did at Naza’s village?”

Chase sits up and leans over Jack, “are you scared?”

“Um, yes. But I was more, I guess I feel a little guilty.”

“Oh,” Chase doesn’t waste time thinking about guilt or regret. Or usually he doesn’t think about regret or guilt, “she put herself in a path of self-destruction, what happened was out of her hand before we got there.”

“I,” Jack tries to put those complex feelings into simple words, “I just feel bad. She helped us and we used her. I mean, yeah I would do it again but I still feel bad about it.”

“Then what is the point in feeling bad, as eloquently as you put it, if you would do it again.”

“Mm,” Jack closes his eyes tightly to think, “I don’t know. But I’m also hungry.”

That was the end of that conversation.

They search their supplies for a meal. They had barely put together lunch while Icnoyotl came for Jack. The elders already set an appointment with a doctor. 

Chase was told to stay behind. They need to talk to the public before Chase can go to the city, otherwise, they might cause a panic.

Jack leaves all afternoon and Chase struggles with the silence in the room. 

New and dark thoughts keep coming to the mind of the naga. He keeps himself busy by drafting a letter for Coalt. 

But his mind seems to wander far away. 

  
  


He couldn’t write. Chase stares at the blank sheet and can’t think of a single sentence to put down. He couldn’t bring himself to summarizing his story again and presenting all his obvious mistakes to another naga. 

The naga leaves the house and wanders off until he finds a sunny patch. 

The silence between empty houses follows him everywhere. The quiet pressure of his past heavy his movements, but the sunshine offered a relief known to the snake since childhood. 

He curls around the light. Sitting still and taking every drop of sunshine like a leaf. Small and simple, a leaf knows how to live. Slowly, very slowly, tightness on his back loosens, his jaw relaxes and Chase feels like he can breathe again. 

Of course, then he felt another presence.

He opens his eyes to see one of the elders, the young one. He looks like a human man in his forties, built, silver hairs peppering his long braid and patient. The man keeps his arms behind his back and steps back when he notices Chase looking at him.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” he smiles, trying too hard to appear non-threatening. 

“Is fine, I was done.”

“You are quick to find a good spot. There is a bathhouse behind us, perfect for meditation,” the man points and takes a step closer.

“Do not let me keep you then, I’ll be returning to the house assigned to us.”

The naga had no intention so spent more time than absolutely required with any of the elders.

“Are you not a fan of water?” The man follows Chase and offers a charming smile. 

“No.”

“I figured. But there is nothing like meditating underwater. Water is mighty and wise,” the man walks faster, able to keep up with Chase, “if you are willing to listen to it’s experienced advice.”

“I’ll keep that in mind next time it rains. Now I really must write a letter to Coalt.”

“No one will leave until tomorrow morning. There is no rush,” the man struggles to run next to Chase, and before he could get another word out, the snake was slithering into his home.

“I prefer to get to it now.”

Chase closes the door without waiting for an answer. He waits next to the door for a few minutes. He can’t feel the man, but he didn’t hear him leave either. 

Annoyed and tired, Chase opens the door.

The man remains there.

“I understand you are exhausted. You returned from the sea only two days ago, and the hearing must have been draining, to say the least -but I want us to talk.”

“Mmp,” Chase thinks of the months of winter before that, and the beat down from Beatel before that, and - “you wanted to give me the illusion of a choice.” 

The naga moves to the oven and starts a fire.

“I’ll take the open door as an invitation in,” the man takes a seat and watches Chase prepare tea: one cup.

“What is so important that we must tell me now,” Chase takes his tea and faces the man. He knows he should try to be courteous but doesn’t have the energy to even pretend.

“I want to hear about your path and everything you learned from it. Your experience leading an army and your theories about magic. I want to hear about your plans to fight Wuya and Hannibal. Because once Wuya falls, Hannibal will consider you a threat -though he will definitely try to kill you regardless.”

“Why? You know my history. Your city is more advanced than anything I ever made, and your armies are bound to be numerous. And, I don’t have a plan to fight Wuya or Hannibal. I just want to fight them -I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t notice that everything has gotten so-” Chase stops and looks at his reflection in his teacup. He didn’t sound like himself. He sounds like a stupid kid way over his head. He sounds scared.

“No one has ever been as close to killing Hannibal as you. Your actions left such mark in history that-”

“I can’t help you,” Chase felt so unlike himself. So defeated and regretful, “I had my time, and I had my chance, but I ruined it. I lost.”

The man doesn't know what to say. The great Chase Young is nothing like the stories say.

“I shouldn’t have pushed you to talk to me. I came here without telling the others, I’m supposed to deliver this letter to you and leave. But I want to - I need your experience.”

“Is getting late, and Jack will be getting home soon.”

The man opens and closes his mouth a few times, but unable to continue a conversation on his own, he leaves the letter on the table and leaves. 

Jack didn’t return until two hours after.

The elf calls Chase to tell him the good news. The snake was on the table, holding a cold cup of tea and blankly looking at a scroll.

“What is that?” Jack picks the paper and unrolls the scroll, “is from Naza. I hope that means she is okay -Bitch!”

“Mm?” Chase puts down his cup and looks at Jack, snapping off the vertigo-inducing-spiral his mind is trapped in. 

“She addressed the letter to you!” 

“Me?” Chase tilts his head, “I suppose we had some conversations.”

“You were taking a nap for three months! How is she closer to you?!”

“It wasn’t a nap,” Chase adds immediately and goes back to holding his cup of tea.

Jack rolled his eyes and was about to joke about how Chase ‘charmed’ Naza when he noticed Chase’s lost gaze.

“Yeah, sorry. I know you hate being forced to fall asleep,” Jack puts down the letter and moves to lean against Chase. It takes a moment for the warmth of the elf's body to penetrate the tough scales of the naga, “did you already eat?” 

Jack turns to reach for some dried fruit, but Chase’s arm curls around him pulling him closer.

“I’m not hungry. Stay here, a little longer,” he hugs Jack tightly and pulls him off the floor, “you said something about good news.”

“Yes!” Jack beams excitedly. He keeps his high energy even when paired with Chase's tired smile. He doesn’t blame him, a lot has been happening, and the man has some baggage he hasn’t dealt with, “there is a doctor who treats my exact heart malformation. He says I need to make some lifestyle changes, but I’m already being considered for the procedure. Which is not super invasive -whatever that means. He told me the worst part is the aftercare cause I am not going to be able to do a lot for a few weeks, and I'm going to need to do physical therapy, but after I will be fixed. Well, the hole in my heart will be patched up. There will still be danger and stuff, he wants to tell me more tomorrow, and I don’t think I have ever been happier!” 

“That’s amazing, Jack!” Chase forgets how everything is terrible when looking at Jack. He presses his forehead against Jack’s, “Jack, this is your path, but I want to help you through it,” he kisses Jack’s cheeks, too happy to overthink how their relationship would be classified. However, of all the troubles and worries that crowded his head, this one is his favorite.

“Good!” Jack giggles as a large hand sneak under his clothes and a forked tongue move towards his ear, “cause I told the doctor I have someone to look after me when, oh” the elf tilts his head to give the curious naga more space as he kisses the shape his cheekbones. Chase follows the path Jack’s skin draws for him, he presses his fangs against the sensitive skin of the elf’s ear, and he grabs Jack’s ass with clear intention. 

“I’ll be careful,” Chase promised, and Jack isn’t sure if he means about his aftercare or about this moment. It became clear Chase meant the aftercare, as he pinned Jack against the table. 

“I’m not complaining, but I assume we were going to have a conversation -it was going to be really awkward and-” Jack is interrupted by a sweet peck, followed by another one, and a light bite on Jack’s lower lip, “not that we have to!” the elf happily reciprocates kisses, playfully poking his tongue, asking Chase to kiss him more. 

The naga grabs the back of Jack’s head to steady him as he slithers his tongue inside Jack’s mouth in an overindulging kiss. The cracking of the fire was put to shame in comparison to Jack’s muffled moans and the wet sounds between them. 

Jack wraps his legs against Chase and grinds desperately searching for more pleasure. Chase pulls back, and Jack follows him with a shameless little whimper. The naga pins the elf with a single hand, forcing Jack to take a breathing break. Jack embarrassingly sees Chase’s long tongue returning to his mouth. 

“We will talk, but it sounds to me like your aftercare will require you to avoid strenuous activities.”

“Ah, yeah,” Jack tries to sit up, but he can’t with Chase’s hand firmly planted on his chest. He sees how easily the naga can restrain him, he's very talented tongue, pretty dangerous fangs, and beautiful golden eyes hungrily watching him.

Chase waits and chuckles, enjoying the stroke to his ego and the view of an aroused-until-stupid elf.

“That means that during your recovery time, we won’t be able to have sex. And while we have things to discuss, I don’t want to wait that long. No, when there are no objections now,” Chase waits again.

Jack nods wholeheartedly, agreeing, they can talk about it later, but by the moon, they must fuck. Of course, they will need to talk. Jack knows he doesn’t just like Chase, he loves the man -he loves a man set to accomplish what he wants or died trying. Also, Chase has never mixed sex with feeling and that’s something they must definitely talk about. But right now, Jack doesn’t care whatever this is, he just knows he wants it.

“Yes, I want to have you whole tonight,” Jack tries his best sultry voice. Immediately after, fear takes over. As much as he is excited and willing to continue, there are semantics to consider when your partner is as big as Chase.

“I won’t hurt you Jack,” Chase could clearly see what Jack was thinking, “we are to enjoy each other, and stop whenever you want to,” Chase moves his hand from Jack’s chest to cup his face. The elf presses his face against Chase’s palm.

“You are warm,” he notices and Chase tries to hide a blush with a cough.

“A naga thing, it means I’m aroused.”

“...You have been aroused before.”

“I can explain this to you or we can keep going, but not both.”

Jack blinks curiously, “I chose to continue.”

“Wise choice cause I was not going to explain to you either way,” Chase laughs.

“Hey!” Jack joins in the laughter. Feeling lighter and more relaxed.

“Ready?” Chase asks after a moment.

“Yeah, but the mood is weird- Wow!” Jack is pulled to the edge of the table as Chase pulls his pants off. The elf blushes to the tip of his ears feeling exposed as Chase parts his naked legs open, one hand slowly and roughly exploring the pale inner thighs. And the other hand travels up, pulling Jack’s shirt higher and higher. A soft kiss on his temple felt oddly intimate. It was so much too fast, but Jack wants more. 

“Don’t worry, leave it to me,” Chase pulls Jack’s shirt and throws it away. He opens Jack’s legs further apart to fit between. Jack stares at a patch of scales. He has touched enough of Chase to know that’s where his pouch is, the scales look darker and the area more obvious -whatever it was happening, Jack felt like it shouldn’t be as arousing as it was. But it was. He likes seeing Chase, who is always in control of himself, slowly becoming desperate for the same pleasure Jack seeks. 

A curious hand lightly touches the bottom and traces his way up. Jack feels heat barely hiding under the smooth skin, and he drags his hand down, pressing his entire palm against and enjoying an unmistakable twitch. He holds his breath and licks his licks in anticipation.

“I want to see you,” Jack looks up to Chase who only stares back dumbly while blushing furiously, “cat got your tongue?” 

“Just enjoying the moment,” Chase tries to brush his nerves off, and kisses Jack’s cheek. A kiss is repaid with another, and Jack presses his palm against Chase’s pouch. The naga moans approvingly, leaning into the touch, he rewards Jack by deepening their kiss and confidently wrapping his fingers around Jack’s cock. He swallows the adorable whimper Jack lets out. 

“Cute,” he moves to trace kisses down Jack’s chest.

“Don’t go,” Jack pouts since Chase’s pouch is no longer in his reach.

“So impatience,” Chase smiles against Jack’s soft skin. He has been fantasizing about leaving hickies all over Jack’s perfect skin. Small bruises and bites, anything to mark Jack as his. An animalistic need that he can finally satisfy as he kisses and licks Jack’s nipple until it is hard, after he roughly sucks on it and pinches the other one.

“That’s no bad,” Jack bites his lip in an attempt to muffle his moans. 

“Oh Jack,” Chase laughs and smiles at the goosebumps in Jack’s skin, “I can feel you,” to emphasize his point, Chase slowly moves his hand on Jack’s cock. It takes all of Jack’s self repect not to simply start fucking Chase’s fist like overly excitable virgen, “no reason to hide.”

“Ok, but for the record, I wasn’t the one blushing like a second-”

“Jack you are pink,”

“Because I’m an albino. Yeah,” Jack remembers, and wonders why is he so nervous? Everything is going great.

“Let me make it better,” Chase takes his hand off Jack. Jack was ready to whine and ask ‘how could that be better?’ But Chase returns his hand on Jack, this time covered with a thick and warm substance. 

“Oh,” it made the movements so much better. It was too thick to be oil and too much to be cum, but more importantly, it makes Chase’s hand move faster, “fuck, yeah, that’s better. What is it?”

“Pre-cum. Yes, my species' main focus of evolution was reproduction but let's just brush over that!”

Jack stops and stares at Chase in the eye before bursting into laughter, “why are you so nervous?”

“Me? You are ready to cum any moment now and we just began!”

“It has been a while and you are really hot! All I can think is that I want to suffocate between your pecs!”

“Don’t say that!” Chase tries to hold back his laugh to salvage their situation, “I don’t care if you cum before me. You are gonna cum before me-”

“I know!” Jack covers his face, takes a few breaths and then faces Chase again. 

“Should we stop and talk?” Chase asks without moving away.

“Funny how you say that with my dick in your hand.”

“I don’t want you to get cold,” Chase says nonchalantly and lightly jerks Jack.

“I won’t. This, this means a lot to me,” Jack sits up and leans against Chase, “because you mean a lot to me. So I want it to go well.”

Chase hugs Jack and kisses his forehead, “I know if we don’t want this then we can just go back to be friends. But I want this to work, even if I’m not sure what that would mean for us after. Right now this is the only part of my life that makes sense.”

Jack was surprised to hear that, but he could also relate. Everything was so intense and complicated, but with Chase things are funner. 

“I love you,” Jack smiles to himself when he sees Chase’s twitch, “and I want you. That won’t change any time soon.”

It takes Chase longer, “I want you too.”

They share a nervous chuckle before tentatively touching the other’s face and kissing. The kiss was slow and secure. Both knowing that it is just a kiss of many to come. Exploring each others’ mouths, feeling how much Chase’s tongue Jack can take before needing to part. How tightly can they hug, or how hard can Jack dig his nails on Chase’s back as naga attempts to fuck his mouth. Fingers travel over curves and scars, rediscovering each other. Jack felt Chase’s dick against his thigh, leaving a trail of pre-cum against his inner thigh. The elf felt stupidly proud to know how excited Chase was. He searches him with his hands only to encounter the tip by his bellybutton. A mixture of excitement and fear ring in Jack’s ears. 

Chase moves away for Jack to see him. Jack sits up like a spring and immediately sizes up Chase’s dicks. Two huge dicks. Their heads were pointerier than Jack’s, they were brightly colored with different shades of pink and covered in a pattern of soft blunt spikes. The lower one was standing proud, fully aware the only way to describe it was as a challenge. There were two lines of bumps on the front side-

“They look bigger than they actually would feel like,” Chase says after a full minute of Jack just silently staring at his dicks.

“Oh, ‘they look bigger’, how convenient!” Jack screams completely fluster. 

“Jack-”

“Sh, I’m still taking it in.”

“We both know you are not taking either one in tonight,” Chase crosses his arms feeling oddly defensive. He hasn’t felt self-conscious about his dicks since he lost his virginity.

The bigger one was a monster. It was so tall it made the definitely big dick (lower) look small. It towers over Jack, casting a fucking shadow like some horny elf’s wet dream. 

“I think we should see how much I can fit in my mouth, for science,” Jack has never been so nervous and thrilled at the same time.

“There are some things I should tell you before,” Chase’s lips curl up. That was a much better reaction than he expected. 

Jack happily jumps off the table and uses his discard pants to cushion his knees.

“Come to me my king,” Jack didn’t care how stupidly horny he comes off as he kneels for Chase, ready to beg to suck on Chase’s dick like he needs it. 

“Oh,” Chase turns to see Jack completely naked on his knees, staring at him so happy, “I suddenly remember the scene you play at the tarver.”

“Where you tried to shaming me?” Jack sticks his tongue out playfully, and without a second thought, he grabs the lower dick. He moves his hand up and down a few times through the length and presses the bumps on the top, “are these sensible?” 

“No, most of them are for my partner.” 

“So wet,” Jack musses as he tries different speeds. He sees a little drop of pre-cum grow in size as Jack jerks Chase’s faster. The elf bites his lip and giggles to himself before licking the little pearl off, “and sweet?”

“Yes, again, those are meant for my partner.”

Jack frowns, “when you said nagas evolve for sex, you really meant it.”

“That’s not what I said, but yes.”

“Well, you know I have a sweet tooth,” Jack blushes, more embarrassed by his own words than to be intensely watched as he opens his mouth, sticks his tongue out, and fits the head of his mouth.

“Oh, you are so warm,” Chase sighs as he feels Jack slowly take more and more of his dick. 

Just the tip was work. Jack has to really open his mouth to not hit the top side with his teeth. Soon, the elf found a comfortable position and bobs his head lower, filling his mouth until it hits the back of his throat and the taller one rests on his face. Then he quickly moves out until he can kiss and suck over the head, and he ventures back down with a happy moan. The wet sounds Jack makes as he attempts to fit the whole thing on his mouth. He didn’t notice the tail wrapping around him until a coil hugs him tightly, squeezing his dick in the middle. He shoots his eyes open, looks up to Chase, and smiles at the naga. He grinds against the tail while he continues sucking Chase. Bobbing his head faster, soon aided by Chase’s hand, pushes him to take his cock deeper. Jack likes hearing the sotf curses Chase whispers as he thrust into Jack’s mouth. Chase becomes rougher with every thrust, moving faster and cursing louder. He could tell Chase was close, and Jack didn’t even have to move. Not that he really could with the tail tightly wrap around him. And Chase’s claws pulling on Jack’s hair as he fuck Jack’s mouth on a desperate relentless rhythm. Chase came with a loud groan pulling Jack’s mouth off his dick to avoid choking him. But the little elf leans in to suck on Chase as white ribbons shoot off him. Jack continued to suck until there was nothing left and Chase’s dick twitches from overstimulation. He releases Chase’s cock, swallows the huge load in his mouth and licks the rest off his fingers. 

Jack didn’t remember to feel embarrassed until he noticed Chase watching his every move.

“I told you I have a sweet tooth,” Jack tries but his face is about to catch on fire, “stop shaming me!”

“I’m not- Remember back in the tarven when you told that very explicit story of you giving a lamia a blowjob. I thought about your mouth around me since then, but this is so much better.”

They stare at each other with so many feelings, but all could be summarized into unmatched bliss. 

“Then, you are welcome,” Jack laughs. He has always been a bit kinky but past partners made assumptions or called him names he wasn’t fond of. 

“Then, my turn,” Chase lifts Jack using the end of his tail already wrapped around him. He smiles at Jack before slamming him against the table. It was far more noise than anything else, Chase’s tail was what actually hit the table, but it gives the impression of a rougher treatment. 

“Warn me next time!” Jack tries to pretend he didn’t like that, but he unconsciously spread his legs further apart for Chase. 

“Wouldn't it be less fun if I did?” Chase laughs and moves to hover over Jack, “I thought you might like that.”

“I do, just don’t say mean things,” Jack clarifies as he lets Chase take his hands and pin them over his head. 

“What about, you look really nice under me, mm?”

“That’s good,” Jack blushes and looks away. But he can’t help to peak back to Chase. 

The naga kisses Jack’s neck, and tickles Jack with his forked tongue.

“I want to touch you until when you touch yourself, you will think of me,” Chase’s golden eyes were more pupil tonight.

“I would like that,” Jack smiles brightly. Chase releases him so he might use his hands on Jack. 

Chase takes his time kissing Jack’s shoulder, chest, and stomach. Until he leisurely drags his fangs over Jack’s inner thighs, biting and kissing any marks he might leave.

“I want to fuck until the only thing your brilliant mind can make out is pleasure and my name,” Chase sinks between Jack’s thighs and pulls them each other his shoulder, “I want to ruin you Jack”

“Yes, that is nice,” Jack was blushing furiously as he sees Chase Young press feather kisses on his cock already leaking cock, “you might want to give me a minute.”

The naga smiles showing those fangs Jack shouldn’t find as arousing as he does so close to his dick but he does. So, the elf, in a desperate attempt to not cum before Chase even starts giving head, he turns to distract himself with anything. He sees Naza’s letter. 

The letters were big and neat. Not at all what Jack expected, but then again he didn’t expect Naza to write to them -much less address Chase. He reads a line by accident. _You and I are bound to self-destruct_. Jack couldn’t ignore that. Not when Chase was happily kissing his thighs, eager to suck him off, to fuck him or just be intimate. Jack wants to sink into Chase, to get lost in his mouth and forget the world. But he can’t if something is wrong. 

Jack sits up and buries his fingers in Chase’s long black hair. The naga smiles please with this moment while millions of thoughts run through Jack’s head.

“What were you thinking before I got here?” Jack thinks of the many things he saw Chase nearly come apart, but somehow, the man always holds himself together. 

“Why did you ask that?” Chase frowns and then gives Jack’s dick a light tug, “now?”

“Well, I was thinking about how today must have been very hard on you. After hearing those old geezers pick apart your life -I didn’t ask how-”

“You asked earlier, I said I was fine. Can we move on from that?” Chase tries to push the subject but he could tell Jack won’t allow that, “seriously.”

“I’m sorry,” Jack shrinks, unhooking his legs from Chase’s shoulders and ignoring his very hard cock. 

“No,” Chase stands up and rubs his neck, “I’m being a little defensive.”

“You said you are fine,” Jack tentatively takes Chase’s hand and gives it a little squeeze, “but it would be okay if you were not fine.”

Chase looks at Jack’s hand curling around his. Along together, the world with its history and future forgotten, Chase squeezes Jack’s hand back. 

“I was great, my name meant something, I was on my way to redefine magic and take over the continent. Now, I struggled to just stay alive,” Chase felt infinitely worse and yet a little bit better too. It was like pulling out glass out of a wound, blood will spill as the wound reopens but now it can heal. There were more things left unsaid. So Chase continued, because it was Jack who was listening, “The Xiaolin had been following us for months now, but only the Xiaolin.”

“What do you mean?” Jack frowns, having the Xiaolin hunting them was more than enough. And soon more Heylin will be released.

“I haven’t been contacted or attacked by Wuya or Hannibal. They are bound to know I awaken, but they haven’t done anything to stop me.”

Jack thinks that’s a good thing. But Chase and Jack are very different. 

“I don’t think they see me as a threat,” Chase whispers, because he can’t say it any louder without breaking something within him, “I’m going to die when I face Wuya.” Everything he once dreamed to have will remain a dream. The world he wants will forever be out of reach. Chase thinks of Jack. 

“You don’t have to,” Jack pulls Chase’s hand to his chest.

“I appreciate your trust in me, but I won’t be able to overpower Wuya. And I can’t even imagine taking Hannibal.”

“No, I mean, you don’t have to fight-”

“What?” Chase interrupts, “what you mean?”

“I mean, you don’t have to fight at all. We could just go some other place, or go back or wherever. Just the two of us. I can get a lab and you-” Jack nearly falls off the table when Chase yanks his hand out of Jack’s grasp.

“You want me to live as a coward,” Chase says in utter disbelief.

“No! I just don’t think you have to fight, you could not fight. Why is not fighting at all an option?”

“Because I’m not a coward!” Chase steps back, not recognizing anything Jack is saying. 

“Fine! I want you to live like a coward! Is that that bad? You get to live!”

“I prefer death.”

“You are so dramatic!” Jack laughs and walks closer to Chase. The naga tries to keep his distance but the room seems smaller than before, “I’m just worried for you.”

Chase stops and allows Jack to take his hand again, “I understand that, I worry about you too. But you take your decisions, and I respect them.”

“But my decisions are centered around my survival!”

“And I respect that!”

“Okay, Naza said something-”

“Why are you talking about Naza?” Chase hisses, it was a warning but Jack doesn’t register Chase’s hisses as warnings since they are never directed to him.

“Because both of you lost a lot and are stubborn. And because you said she is on a path of self-destruction, and I was wondering, since your path has to end in death then maybe don’t do that?”

“Let go of my hand,” Chase asks.

“No,” Jack tries to swallow all the grief he is feeling, “I don’t want to lose you!”

“You don’t get a say on that. Now. Let go of my hand. Jack.” That was an order.

“Chase, remember after I talk to Eka, when I kiss you?”

“What are you even talking about now?”

“You didn’t kiss me back, because you knew I was not emotionally okay and I was looking for a distraction. And when I ran off, you came for me, because you knew I shouldn’t be alone. I want to be there for you!”

“Stop talking!” Chase shouts loud enough for Jack to lose his words, “I’m not a powerful coward like Eka or a pathetic martyr like Naza,” the naga pulls his hand off Jack, unintentionally cutting him, “and I’m not weak like you.”

Anger burns high but regret runs deep as red spills on the floor. Blood puddles under Jack and Chase feels the hot blood cool in his claws. 

“I’m not weak,” the red in Jack’s eyes burns, “I just want to live and I refuse to watch you die!” 

“I’m sorry Jack,” Chase felt like the world was sinking all around him and everything was quietly screaming.

“I love you,” Jack puts pressure on his cut that continues to bleed, “but I can’t let you hurt me. I need you to choose.”

Chase stares at Jack’s bloody hands, and he breathes again when he sees the wound stopped bleeding, “I’m sorry, Jack.”

Jack was about to tell Chase that it was an accident, but Chase turns to the door.

“Chase?”

“I made my choice the moment I woke up. I thought you understood that.” 

Jack watches the door close. He waits for it to open again, but it doesn't.

Eventually, Jack sat down and dressed his wound, but kept his eyes on the door, hopeful but he knew Chase always means what he says.

Eventually, Jack lays down on the bedding, facing the door but it doesn't.

And it won't.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chase doesn’t wear clothes. So he has to walk with his bloody hands out of Xipil, unwilling to wipe off the blood on the city.

So much happened but everything happened again today. He woke up to march for a hearing. He heard his history like a cautionary tale. He understood that he will die when he faces Wuya, and no one will pay for everything he lost. He was kissing Jack, and his mouth was so warm and perfect. He hurt Jack. 

Chase stops in front of a lake, he didn’t even notice how far he made it.

The naga kneels to wash his hands on the water. The night was warm but the water was cold. Not as cold as seawater. Not as cold as the seafloor. Chase observes the red diffuse in the water and dances in the current.

“I lost Jack,” Chase says to himself. He looks up to see the unknown terrain. The snake was alone in an unknown land. “I have nothing left, but my life.”

The lake reminds him of the prairie that he grew up in, and for the first time in his life, he wishes to go back. 

Chase looks at the reflection of the full moon on the water. In a desperate attempt to hold to something, he goes into the water. He ignores the way the cold slippings into his skin and bones, slowing down his heart and putting him in danger. Chase doesn’t stop until he is under the moon. The reflection wrapping him like a spotlight. Tired, cold, and completely alone, Chase prays to the moon but she says nothing. 

The naga remembers something Naza said to him when he just woke up.

“There is nothing left to lose, a deeper hole doesn’t exist.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took so long. This was a super long chapter and it borders in repetitive but I really wanted to show that Chase is not breaking down out of anywhere.  
> Also, Fuck_Everything things get better for Chase after this. :0


End file.
